


Out of Sight

by triste



Category: Beyblade
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-22
Updated: 2012-11-22
Packaged: 2017-11-19 06:53:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 58,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triste/pseuds/triste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even the strongest people falter sometimes, as Kai soon comes to realise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Raing: R

Status: Complete (1/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

For once, the dojo was in complete silence. This was unusual indeed, especially considering that a crowd of perpetually noisy teenagers were sitting inside it, all staring in astonishment at the one who'd just dropped the bombshell.

"Tell me you're not serious," said Max, once he'd managed to find his voice. "You're kidding around, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," Takao replied, the expression on his face uncharacteristically solemn.

"But still," stammered Rei, "retiring from beyblade altogether? You can't! There's no way!"

"I think you ought to listen to them, Takao," Hiromi advised. "I mean it's all so sudden. What brought you to make this decision in the first place?"

"A number of things, I guess," Takao said, taking off his hat and twirling it on the index finger of his right hand, a habit that his friends recognised as a sign of nervousness. "I had a lot of time to think after the last tournament, and I... well..."

"You don't have to worry about Bolkov anymore, if that's what this is all about," said Rei, frowning. "I know he seems to have some sort of vendetta against you, but-"

"Please," said Takao, grinning for the first time since he'd made his announcement. "As if *that* loser would be the reason for my retirement."

"Then why?" said Max, anxiously. "We've come so far over the years that it would be a shame to give it all up now."

"That's part of it," Takao admitted as he finally ceased his fidgeting. "We *have* come a long way. We've all grown and changed, and things are different from how they used to be. We're not the same people anymore. *I'm* not the same person anymore."

"What are you trying to say?" asked Rei. "That you don't want to keep competing?"

"Not exactly," Takao said slowly. "I think I sort of realised something when you and Max left to fight on different teams."

Silence settled over the room again with Kyoujuu and Hiromi staying quiet out of tact while Rei and Max didn't say anything because of the awkwardness they both felt. They all knew how hard it had been on Takao, and although he'd eventually come to understand their reasons, he'd still been far from satisfied at the situation. Takao broke the sudden tension by laughing, and one by one, his friends began to smile along with him.

"Jeez, don't look so serious," he said. "I'm over all that stuff, and I meant what I said before you took off. We'll always be friends and nothing is ever going to change that, no matter what happens."

"I'm glad we agree," said Max, reaching out and ruffling Takao's hair before giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. "Friends forever!"

"Forever," repeated Rei, his smile determined.

"Forever!" Kyoujuu chimed in, giving Takao the thumbs-up.

"Forever," Hiromi said firmly, regarding all four boys with a certain amount of fondness.

"Thanks, you guys," said Takao, gratefully. "This really means a lot to me."

"Then explain why you're giving up something that you love so much," Hiromi ordered, crossing her arms over her chest and staring sternly over at Takao. "It's your obligation as our friend."

"Don't rush him, Hiromi-chan!" hissed Max. "He'll tell us when he's good and ready!"

"No, Hiromi's right," said Takao. "I owe you all an explanation."

"Then take your time," Rei said calmly. "We're listening."

"It's like I was saying earlier," Takao began. "Everything has changed and we're all starting to move on. You have your old team and your hometown," he added, nodding to Rei, "while Max has his mom and the PPB." "So what's your point?" asked Hiromi, earning a nudge in the ribs from Kyoujuu for her impatience.

"My point is that I started noticing how left behind I felt," Takao said. "I've lived in the city I was born in my whole life, and it's all thanks to beyblade and Daitenji Oji-chan that I got to see and do some incredible things."

"That's true," said Rei. "We've been able to travel the world and learn from all kinds of different people."

"Exactly," Takao said fervently. "It's because of those things that I want to go back and explore, to do something new, and to broaden my horizons, as corny as it sounds."  
"That doesn't mean you have to quit blading," Max said reasonably.

"I know, but-"

"What I think Takao is trying to say," Kyoujuu cut in gently, "is that he wants to try striking out on his own for once."

"Yeah, something like that," said Takao, giving Kyoujuu a nod of gratitude. "Well, I won't be *completely* on my own. I already talked about this with Hitoshi Nii-chan, and he thought it would be a good idea to spend a couple of months with him checking out ruins and stuff."

"So you want to follow the same career path as your brother and your father?" Hiromi said. "That's kind of neat. It's also pretty smart, now that I think about it. Who knew lazybones here was so interested in planning out his future? I always figured he'd just drift through life without having any kind of respectable job."

"Very funny," Takao scowled, sticking his tongue at Hiromi, who giggled back at him in response. "I still don't know if I want to go with artefacts and archaeology like Nii-chan and Tou-chan, but it's something to try out, anyway. I love beyblading and it'll always be the best thing that ever happened to me, but... I just don't know if I can see myself still doing it ten years from now, or twenty years from now, or thirty years from now."

"You have a point," said Rei, evenly. "I've always taken each day as it comes, but I never really thought about what might happen in the future."

"So there you go," Takao said. "Besides, it's about time I let someone else have their turn in the spotlight." He raised his voice and stared pointedly at the figure sitting stubbornly cross-legged outside on the porch. "Did you hear that, Daichi? Now that I'm out of the way, your path to the world title is totally clear! Of course, you'll have to beat off some pretty tough competition," he added, winking at Max and Rei, "but at least it'll be easier than it was before."

"Oh yeah?" snapped Daichi, jumping to his feet and pointing a finger accusingly at Takao. "You think I *want* that title just handed to me on a plate? Quit screwing around already! I want to win fair and square, and the only way for me to be the best is to *beat* the best! How can I be expected to do that if you're not there, huh?"

Takao bit his lip, his expression a mixture of annoyance and guilt. Daichi had taken his earlier declaration as a personal insult, and Takao couldn't help seeing something of himself in the younger boy. The confusion and betrayal on Daichi's face was clear as day, and if Takao had been angry when Rei and Max had made a similar announcement, it was nothing compared to how Daichi looked now.

"Listen up, kid," he said, grabbing Daichi by the scruff of his neck and cuffing him lightly over the back of his head. "I'm not the only strong blader around, so don't you forget that. There are going to be tons of new opponents to face, so you'd better start training hard, 'cause if I hear you've been slacking off-"

"I don't wanna fight new opponents!" cried Daichi, flailing his arms and stamping his feet. "I wanna fight *you*!"

"Now, now," said Hiromi hastily, patting his arm in what she thought would be a soothing kind of way. "Just calm down, okay?"

"Stay out of this you ugly old hag!" squawked Daichi.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING OLD HAG?" Hiromi bellowed, shoving Takao out of the way and giving Daichi a very painful-looking noogie.

"I think *you're* the one who needs to calm down, Hiromi-chan," Max suggested timidly.

"Did you say something?" Hiromi growled, making Max shrink back in fear.

"No, ma'am," he squeaked. "Not a word!"

Hiromi turned her attention back to Daichi, who was frantically trying to squirm out of her reach.

"Let me go, dammit! I have to fight Takao!" "You're not going anywhere until you apologise!"

"I am *not* apologising! Takao still owes me a battle!" Daichi began to kick his feet again, harder than before. "I want a fight, I want a fight, I want a fight!"

"Hey, hey, break it up, you two," Takao said, bravely positioning himself in between them.

"Only if you promise to battle me!" yelled Daichi, throwing his arms around Takao's waist and clinging on for dear life.

"Get off, you little freak!" Takao said warningly.

"Don't wanna!" said Daichi. "Fight me, fight me, fight me!"

"Okay, take it easy," said Rei, hooking his hands under Daichi's arms and prying him away from Takao (but not without making a tremendous effort). "I think we all need to cool our heads for a while, instead of getting angry with each other."

"Takao started it," sniffed Daichi. "Things wouldn t be this way if he wasn't leaving!"

"Takao is just doing what he has to do," Rei told him. "You'll understand eventually."

"I don't want to understand!" Daichi said heatedly. "All I want is for him to stay!"

"I have to go, monkey boy," Takao said, his earlier guilt returning when Daichi glared up at him with watery eyes. "I've already made my decision."

"But it's not fair!" Daichi insisted. "You can't just leave!" He turned to Rei, his expression pleading. "Say something! Tell him he's not allowed to go!"

"I can't do that," said Rei, smiling sadly. "Then *you* tell him, Max!" Daichi commanded, but Max just shook his head. "Isn't *anyone* going to do something? Kyoujuu? Old hag?"

It was testament to how upset Daichi was when Hiromi didn't even bat an eyelid at that particular insult, but Daichi's anger only grew when they all stayed silent.

"Where's Kai when you need him, huh?" he said petulantly. "There's only one person who can knock sense through Takao's thick skull, and it's him!"

"Kai's off doing his own thing, just like usual," Takao said, though his voice was slightly strained, and Daichi noticed that the others had grown uneasy at the mention of Kai's name.

"You haven't told him, have you?" he said suddenly. "Kai doesn't know that you're leaving."

"I was going to call over at his place after I let you guys know," said Takao, now even more subdued than he had been before. "He's going to be mad as Hell," said Daichi, clenching his fists. "I bet he'll even beat you up!"

"Don't say those things," Max scolded lightly. "Kai would never hurt Takao like that."

"But he's the only one who can get Takao to stay!" Daichi insisted. "Takao always listens to him, so he'll definitely do as Kai says!"

"I told you that I'd already made up my mind," Takao said, causing Daichi to pause and stare at him uncertainly. Takao's tone was sharp, his expression fierce, and Daichi screwed his face up before delivering a swift punch to the nearby wall.

"I hate you!" he yelled, shaking his fist at Takao. "What kind of rival just turns tail and runs, huh? You're a coward, Kinomiya Takao, and I'm never going to speak to you again!"

Hiromi tried calling him back, but Daichi had already disappeared.

"Gee," Takao said wryly, as the rest of friends shot him sympathetic glances. "I hope Kai's reaction won't be as bad as Daichi's, otherwise I'm going to start feeling *really* lousy."

It turned out that he didn't have to worry about such things when he arrived at Kai's apartment later on that afternoon. Kai invited him inside but, rather than taking a seat, Takao chose to stand nervously instead.

"I came to say goodbye," he announced, folding his hands and fidgeting slightly under Kai's cool gaze. "I'll be spending the next few weeks travelling with Hitoshi Nii-chan, and I figured I ought to let you know."

"Okay," Kai said smoothly, causing Takao to blink in disbelief before echoing the word that Kai had uttered.

"'Okay'?" he said. "That's it?"

"What were you expecting to hear?" Kai asked, quietly. "It's your life, Kinomiya. Do whatever you want with it."

Takao could only gawk in confusion, completely thrown by Kai's response. "I would have done so, even if you hadn't told me," he stuttered. "I just... well, I thought... you know..."

"No, I don't," said Kai. "Do you feel like explaining it anytime soon?"

The conversation wasn't going like Takao had planned at all. Even though he'd known to expect Kai's usual lack of enthusiasm and interest, he'd still hoped deep down inside that Kai would have shown something resembling concern, or at least anger. He didn't seem bothered at all, though, and Takao found himself wondering if Kai even cared.

He shook himself almost immediately after he'd had that thought, and he knew that it wasn't true. Kai *did* care. He didn't always show it, but when things came down to it, he cared. He always did.  
Takao raised his eyes to meet Kai's own, trying desperately to seek out some sort of reassurance, but he found nothing. Kai was as guarded as ever, and that saddened Takao immensely. He must have been insane for making such a decision. He must have been insane for leaving, just when Kai had begun to open up a little, but more importantly, he must have been insane for letting go of the opportunity to battle Kai again.

'That's not true,' he told himself, dropping his gaze and shifting uncomfortably. 'There'll be other battles between us. They just won't be in some stadium.' But he couldn't seem to believe his own words, and again he found himself wondering if he'd made the right choice. Before, he'd always believed that Kai had been the same as him. Kai was everything to Takao; his closest friend, his strongest rival. He never felt so alive than when he was fighting opposite Kai in the arena, and he'd always been sure that Kai felt the same way.

Even if it wasn't a decision Takao felt completely comfortable with, it was still something that he had to do, for his sake as much as Kai's. He wanted to grow stronger and become more independent, and he wouldn't be able to do either of those things if he kept relying on Kai to support him all the time. It wasn't fair on either of them, and even if it hurt in the beginning, Takao knew it would be better in the long run.

"Sorry for getting all weird on you," he said at last, forcing out a laugh. "I was just clowning around, like usual, but then you probably knew that, right? Of course you did," he added, answering himself. "You're Kai, after all."

Kai frowned, but he didn't respond.

"Well, I guess this is it, then," Takao said in a rush, pausing for a second before gingerly laying a hand on Kai s shoulder. "I'll see you around. Take care, okay?"

He turned around to leave but stopped in his tracks when Kai called out for him softly.

"Kinomiya, wait."

Takao glanced over his shoulder, trying to fight down the hope and longing that threatened to rise up in his chest and finding himself startled when he saw the uncertainty in Kai's eyes. It disappeared almost instantly, though, making Takao wonder if he'd just imagined things. "What is it?" he asked, but Kai only took a step back and shook his head.

"Nothing. Have a safe trip."

And that was that. Leaving was easier than Takao had thought it would be. Walking away without a second glance didn't seem to require much effort at all, even though his arms felt as heavy as his heart when he closed the door behind him, shutting out Kai and putting a lid tightly on any unnecessary emotions. Out of sight and out of mind.


	2. Two

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (2/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

It had been five days since Takao had left, and for the first time in a long time, Kai found himself feeling lost. Takao had always been the one who'd given him a place to belong, after all, but that place had suddenly disappeared right alongside Takao. Before, Kai would have been disgusted with himself for admitting such a thing. He would have been angry with himself and with Takao, but he'd been through far too much to keep on thinking like that anymore. For someone so reputably arrogant and self-centred, it had taken nearly everything Kai had to let Takao go. All his life he'd been taught to stay focused on his goals and not let anyone else get in his way, and once he'd realised how precious Takao was to him, his initial instinct had been to hold onto him and never let him go. For once, however, Kai hadn't allowed his own selfishness ruin things. He'd respected Takao's wish by doing the only thing he could, and that had been to step back and let Takao cut whatever ties between them that he'd needed. Kai had made some stupid choices in his life, but he wasn't an idiot, and he wasn't the type to try and fool himself. Takao was gone and there was nothing left to do but get used to it. Clinging onto whispers of the past and shadows of mere memories was pointless and unproductive. At least that was what he'd tried to believe before he found himself wandering over to one of Takao's favourite spots.

It was more out of habit than anything else that led Kai to stand by the canal where he and Takao had once held so many practise matches and, as he sat down on the embankment, he couldn't shake the feeling that nothing felt right for him any more.

It had started when Takao had dropped by to say farewell. He hadn't been acting like his usual self at all, and that had thrown Kai more than he cared to admit. Takao had never been so lost for words around him before, but it wasn't just that. He'd seemed almost reserved, like he was deliberately attempting to put a little distance between them.

Again, that wasn't like Takao at all. No one had ever managed to get so close to Kai before until Takao. No one else had ever held back with him before, either. When he'd first met Takao, Kai had been so sure that they would repel one another. They were so different, after all. Takao was like a complete contrast to Kai's sullen and brooding nature, but Kai had soon come to learn that there was more to Takao than just sunshine and smiles. He'd found himself being drawn to those smiles, almost against his will, and even though they had their differences, they still managed to balance each other out. They'd even come to realise how much they had in common, and Kai knew that he would never have learned or changed so much if Takao hadn't worked his influence. Takao had introduced him to a new and frightening world that was so far removed from what Kai had been used to. Takao had taught him about things that Kai would have previously scoffed at, things he never would have guessed would shape him so much. He'd learned about trust and friendship and fair play, and eventually, he'd even come to learn about love. It never struck Kai just how far he'd come before he met Brooklyn. It had been more than battling a worthy opponent, though. It had been about proving himself and finally coming to accept once and for all the things he held most important.

Before, the idea of getting to know people and allowing them to know him in return would have terrified him, but now the only thing that frightened Kai was the idea of reverting back to how he'd once been.  
It had been more a sense of satisfaction and relief than superiority, when he'd gained his victory in the stadium. Brooklyn's miserable existence had reminded Kai far too painfully of how his own used to be. He'd always been so isolated, always so afraid to reach out or let anyone in, but when he'd compared himself to Brooklyn, Kai found that he'd gained much more than he'd lost. In a way, he and Brooklyn had been the same, but then Kai possessed a great many things that Brooklyn couldn't even hope to understand, things that he himself would never have been able to comprehend without Takao.

As Garland had forewarned, Brooklyn had shown Kai hell. He'd looked into those bottomless green eyes and found nothing but the promise of pain and suffering. The loneliness had been almost unbearable, and if it hadn't been for Takao, Kai would have continued to drift helplessly in an ice-cold current, without hope and without meaning. If not for Takao, Kai would have remained lost forever, but Takao had pulled him out of his nightmare and shown him the way, just like he had done so many times before. Kai had always been taught to depend on no one but himself, but then he'd met Takao. Takao had embraced him, accepted him, and stood by him. He'd led Kai into the light, and it was because of Takao that Kai had found his true strength. Those were all the reasons why a life without Takao felt so wrong, like a part of Kai was missing now that Takao wasn't around to guide him anymore. It didn't feel right for him to be alone now, and the lack of Takao's cheerful voice chattering on about some random topic or other made the silence seem unnatural.

Feeling the urge to hear some sort of noise, Kai picked up a nearby stone and threw it onto the water, counting the number of times it skipped before disappearing underneath the surface. Takao probably would have mimicked him if he'd been there, and he would have turned something as harmless as skipping stones into yet another competition between them. Kai nearly smirked at that thought but settled for lying down on his back instead, resting his head on his folded arms and staring up at the sky, but even that served to remind him of what he was missing. Had Takao been with him, he'd most likely be comparing the clouds overhead to farmyard animals, or attempting to show off by displaying a complete misunderstanding of the water cycle and how it was supposed to work. The sound of someone calling out Kai's name was a welcome distraction, though he was somewhat surprised when he saw up to find Kyoujuu waving over at him from the bridge. He didn't wave back, but he waited expectantly for Kyoujuu to approach, raising an eyebrow and staring up at him coolly as Kyoujuu switched his ever-present laptop from one arm to the other.

"You didn't come to see Takao off at the airport," said Kyoujuu, his expression a mixture of concern and disappointment. "He was pretty sad about it."  
"He'll move on," Kai said blandly, moving his gaze away from Kyoujuu and fixing it back to the water.

"You really think so?" Kyoujuu asked quietly. "Do you honestly think it's going to be that easy?"

Not liking Kyoujuu's perceptiveness, Kai said nothing. Kyoujuu merely sighed and adjusted his glasses.

"Mind if I sit down?"

Kai shrugged one shoulder and Kyoujuu made himself comfortable. Kai noticed that he kept his distance, though. All his former teammates would have done so, either out of nervousness or out of respect. All of them, except Takao. "It seems kind of quiet now that he's gone," Kyoujuu said idly, plucking a piece of grass from the ground and twirling it in his fingers. "*Too* quiet, actually."

Kai wanted to say that he'd been thinking the exact same thing, but he kept his mouth shut. He wasn't really in the mood for mindless chitchat, nor did he feel the need for a confidant. "Rei is heading off home to China next week," Kyoujuu continued. "Max said that he'll be staying with his dad a little while longer, but his mom wants him back in the States. None of us have seen Daichi since before Takao left, and Hiromi-san is getting worried. I think he'll be okay, but..." He trailed off and released the small stem of grass that he'd picked, watching it float away on the breeze. "It just feels like we're all falling apart without Takao to hold us together."

Once again, Kai felt uneasy with how Kyoujuu seemed to have hit the nail on the head for the second time in as many minutes, and his tone was somewhat sharper than he'd originally intended when he spoke up.

"Kinomiya has chosen his own path now," he said, tightening his right hand into a fist subconsciously. "None of us have the right to interfere."

"Even if you think he's making a mistake?" said Kyoujuu softly.

Kai turned his head round so fast that he almost gave himself whiplash, and although he couldn't keep the surprise from showing on his face at Kyoujuu's unexpected question, he forced himself to appear nonchalant when he gave his response.

"Why do you say that?" he asked, slightly suspicious, in spite of himself. "I say it because it feels as though something is changing inside Takao," Kyoujuu told him. "Maybe it's none of my business, but it didn't feel to me as though he really wanted to leave. Sure he was excited enough when he talked about exploring ruins with his brother, but when you compare it to how he gets before a tournament... it just seemed as though his heart wasn't in it somehow."

"You don't think he made the right decision," said Kai, already knowing the answer before Kyoujuu even opened his mouth. "You think he made the wrong choice and yet you didn't try to hold him back."

"You said it yourself," Kyoujuu reminded him. "Takao has chosen his own path. It's not my place to turn him away."

"Then why are we having this conversation?" Kai said flatly. "Why are we discussing Kinomiya when he's already out of the picture?"

"Because you can't stop thinking about him," said Kyoujuu, his smile softening just a little. "Am I right?"

Kai's expression darkened and he quickly turned away, scowling at nothing in particular. "Kai, I want to help you," Kyoujuu said, his voice becoming stronger and surer of itself. "And in return, I want you to help Takao."

"Why?" Kai asked tonelessly. "What reason do you have for doing such a thing?"

"Because you're my friend," Kyoujuu said patiently. "Takao is, too, and it hurts me to see both of you suffer like this. I really think you should go to him."

"Why?" Kai repeated. "Why me and not you?"

"Because you're the one who's most important to him," said Kyoujuu. "Don't even try to deny it. You're the reason Takao tries so hard. You're the reason for his strength, and without you-"

"He doesn't need me," Kai interrupted, but that only served to make Kyoujuu raise his voice.

"That's not true!" he said vehemently. "You're everything to him! When Daitenji-kaichou set up the tag-team system in the last tournament, you have no idea how happy Takao was! He had his hopes set on fighting together with you, and it was all he ever talked about. Then you left to join Neo Borg, and you know what he did? He cried! He cried and he threatened to quit the team!"

Kai knew this already and kept silent. Besides, it didn't look like Kyoujuu was quite finished with him yet.

"He cried," Kyoujuu said again, quietly. "Not for the first time, either. Do you even know how much power you have over him, Kai? Do you know what kind of effect you have on him?"

Again, Kai remained silent.

"I think I can understand why Takao felt that he needed to get away," said Kyoujuu, after a moment. "He's torn between what he wants and what he thinks is expected of him. Underneath all that bragging and posing, he's actually pretty insecure. That's why he needs support from the people who mean the most to him. That's why I want you to help him. It pains me to admit it, but you can do a lot more for Takao than I ever could."

"Even if I wanted to, how could I?" asked Kai, hoarsely. "How would I be able to find him?"

"Kai, you forget who I am," said Kyoujuu, a note of laughter in his voice as he opened up his computer. "It'll be no problem at all for me to track him down."

Kai could only stare as Kyoujuu began tapping away at his keyboard, his lips pursed slightly in concentration. It was easy to forget Kyoujuu and let him melt into the background, but every so often, he made it clear that he was just as important to the team as Takao or anyone else, sometimes more so. He might not have been a world-class blader, but there were still plenty of other things that he was capable of doing, and his competence and dedication was nothing less than admirable. Kyoujuu seemed to sense that he was being watched, and he glanced at Kai over his monitor with a knowing expression.

"You're wondering why I'm doing this, aren't you?" he said shrewdly. "Truth is I meant what I told you before. Takao needs help, and you're the only one who can give it to him. I can't stand to see either one of you looking so lost. Besides," he added, his smile widening, "Takao would yell at you for giving up before you'd even started."

So this was friendship, Kai thought to himself, as Kyoujuu continued his typing. He'd thrown it away so easily before, but for some reason, it had always come back to him. Kyoujuu was his friend just as much as Takao was, and not only that. Rei and Max were there too, and even Hiromi never hesitated when it came to lending a hand. Suddenly, the idea of getting Takao back didn't seem so impossible after all. Maybe it was wrong for Kai to interfere, but then hadn't Takao done the exact same thing for him?

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Kyoujuu piped up, forgetting his search momentarily, as he dug inside the pocket of his pants. "Give Takao this when you find him, okay?"

Kai held a hand out automatically and nearly gasped in surprise when Kyoujuu dropped Dragoon into his waiting palm.

"Takao told me to hang onto it before he left," Kyoujuu explained, "but I get the feeling he'd be much happier if Dragoon was returned to him."

Kai closed his fingers convulsively around the smooth metal of the blade, clutching it like a lifeline. It was lighter and smaller than Dranzer, but that did nothing to detract from the incredible power contained within. "He left it behind," he murmured, placing his other hand atop the one that held Dragoon before bringing them both to his chest, as he cradled it tenderly.

"Get it back to him, won't you?" said Kyoujuu, giving Kai his brightest smile yet. "I trust you. I know you can do it."

Kai narrowed his eyes, determination written all over his features, as he pushed himself to his feet. His head felt clear for the first time in days, and now that he'd found himself a purpose again, nothing was going to stop him or slow him down.

"I'm off," he said briskly, hardly even noticing when Kyoujuu jumped up seconds later.

"Wait a minute!" he cried, trying desperately to fall into step with Kai's long strides. "I haven't even told you where he is yet!"

Kai halted and Kyoujuu almost barged right into him. The look on Kai's face was almost comical when he realised that he'd nearly begun his journey without having any kind of clue as to where he was going, but he quickly covered it with one of his habitual scowls, which he directed fiercely at the wildly back-pedalling Kyoujuu.

"Well?" he barked. "What's my destination? Tell me now so that I can started, before it's too late."

Kyoujuu nodded obediently, unsure of whether to feel relieved or worried for Takao. Once Kai set his mind to something, it was virtually impossible to dissuade him, not that anyone ever felt like trying when he'd launched himself into 'take no prisoners' mode. Nobody, that was, except Takao.

They really were more similar than either one of them knew.


	3. Three

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (3/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

It had now been one week since Takao had left Japan. He'd travelled with his brother, Hitoshi, and together they'd made their way from Asia, through the Middle East, and towards Europe. According to Kyoujuu, they were currently staying in Greece, or more specifically, the island of Crete. He'd mentioned to Kai about hearing word on the internet that the three-times World Champion had been recently spotted in the Heraklion Prefecture, and he'd figured that it if he wanted to track down Takao, that would be the place to start looking. Money had never been an issue for Kai, but time was always of the essence. Although Kyoujuu had been able to pinpoint Takao's exact location, he hadn't been sure of how long he would actually be spending there. However, he had claimed that it was safe to assume that Takao wouldn't be just passing through, with the country being famous for its history and its culture. Kai could only hope that Takao would still be there when he arrived. The only thing Kyoujuu hadn't succeeded in finding had been where Takao was staying. He'd done a search of all the local hotels and came up with nothing for the name Kinomiya, but Kai wasn't about to let a little thing like that get in his way. It felt like being back in the stadium again as he transferred from one flight to the next. He didn't care about how much distance he had to cover, just so long as he had something to focus on. He was going to find Takao, and he refused to allow any kind of setback. There was no need for hesitation now that he'd made up his mind and no more reason to feel lost. Takao was waiting for him. Kai was sure of it.

The hours ticked by as he found himself moving from one airport to the other, every one of them bringing him closer and closer to Takao. Kai had barely even slept since he'd first set off, but strangely, he felt rejuvenated rather than exhausted. It made him wonder how Takao was feeling and how he was managing to cope since he'd turned his back on the one thing he'd always loved the most. At least having Dragoon in his possession was some sort of comfort to Kai. It was more than just returning the sacred spirit to its rightful owner, though. It was the missing piece of what made Takao who he was, the missing piece that he must surely feel incomplete without. Kai had stared at it many times over the past forty-eight hours, had treated Dragoon with the same respect Takao had always given it. His calloused fingers had traced its shape over and over until it was just as familiar to Kai as his Dranzer, and even though the blade itself was in excellent working condition, Kai still found himself examining it obsessively for anything out of the ordinary. It had to be absolutely perfect for when he gave it back to Takao. Had Takao felt this way when he'd held Dranzer in his hands? Was this why he'd always been so determined to make Kai realise the importance of having such a loyal partner for his battles?

It was just one of the many reasons why Kai would not allow Takao make the same mistake he once had. It didn't matter that he'd once discarded Dranzer in pursuit of his own greed and selfishness, because Takao had given him the wake-up call he'd needed in order to come to his senses. He still didn't understand why Takao had chosen to leave Dragoon behind, but that was okay, too. He'd find Takao, and for once, the two of them would talk properly. Takao would give his explanations in his own time, and Kai would listen. He might not be able to give Takao the same guidance Takao had offered to him, but he'd certainly try his hardest. That same desire had been concentrated into Kai's search, and his perseverance paid off when he finally reached his destination. Although he hadn't been the Kinomiya that Kai had been looking for, it still gave Kai a tiny amount of relief to know that Kyoujuu's data hadn't been wrong. He and Hitoshi had never been on the best of terms, but if Hitoshi was around, Takao couldn't be too far away. Unsurprisingly, Hitoshi didn't seem at all pleased to see Kai, but Kai ignored the frosty reception he received as he stalked over to the elder Kinomiya and stopped just before entering his personal space, crossing his arms over his chest and standing his ground in preparation for a fight.

"I've come to see Takao," he said coolly, not even bothering to waste time on greetings. "Where is he?"

"That is none of your concern, Hiwatari Kai," Hitoshi replied. "Takao has nothing to do with you anymore."

"Did he say that?" asked Kai, the corner of his mouth turning up into a smirk. "Or are you answering on his behalf?"

"You'll do well to mind your own business," Hitoshi said warningly, but Kai's smirk only widened.

"If it's anything to do with Takao, then it *is* my business," he said. "I can save valuable time if you tell me where he is, but even if you don't, it's still no bother. I'll find him, regardless or whether or not you choose to stand in my way."

Hitoshi raised one eyebrow in question. "And if I said Takao had no desire to meet with you?" "Then I would call you a liar," Kai said flatly. "I'll only believe those words when I hear them coming directly from your brother's mouth."

"Still as arrogant as ever, eh?" said Hitoshi, regarding Kai with a smile of vague amusement. "Some things never change."

"Not that it's any of *your* concern, Kinomiya Hitoshi," said Kai, repeating the very same thing Hitoshi had told him only seconds previously. "Now tell me where Takao is."

"What would you do if I refused?" Hitoshi said, his tone deceptively mild. Kai didn't answer right away. He needed to figure out his next move before he opened his mouth.

He hadn't failed to notice that Hitoshi's posture was just as deceptive as his voice had been, and although Hitoshi appeared casual and relaxed on the surface, Kai knew that it would only take one wrong step on his part for Hitoshi to change all that and go on the attack. Hitoshi was just as well trained as Takao in the way of martial arts, probably even more so, since he'd never shared his younger brother's lack of enthusiasm for physical combat and swordsmanship. Not that any of those things worried Kai. He'd been able to take care of himself since before he could remember, but right now, a fight with Hitoshi wasn't what he wanted or needed. On a certain level Kai was willing to acknowledge Hitoshi's strength, but Hitoshi had never possessed any of the qualities that Kai tended to seek out from a suitable opponent. Compared to Takao, Hitoshi wasn't even worth Kai's time. He lacked all the warmth and compassion Takao so often displayed, things that Kai had once considered to be weakness but now knew contributed to Takao's explosive power. Unlike Takao, Hitoshi was much more calculating and aloof. He liked to evaluate people and push them to their limits with a discipline that sometimes bordered on harshness. Hitoshi was definitely a practiser of tough love, but his strict methods didn't seem suited to Takao at all. Even though they were brothers, Takao and Hitoshi couldn't be more different. "I'll ask you one more time," Kai said finally, uncrossing his arms and letting them fall by his sides, watching as Hitoshi automatically tensed up in response. "Tell me where he is."

"You'll have to try harder than that if you want to know the answer," said Hitoshi, assuming a defensive stance. Kai took a step forward and raised his fists in preparation. Even now, Hitoshi was testing him, and Kai forced down a surge of irritation. If he allowed Hitoshi to get to him, he would have lost before he'd even started, and the one thing Kai hated above all others had been admitting defeat.

If Hitoshi wanted to see his determination that badly, then Kai had no intention of holding back. His focus was immediately shattered when a new voice rang out, however, and Kai could have sworn his heart skipped a beat when he recognised it.

"Nii-chan? Nii-chan, what are you doing?" Takao didn't see Kai right away, not until Hitoshi moved aside enough for Takao to peer under his arm, then the smile died on his lips, and his eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "*Kai*?"

Time seemed to stand still for that moment as they stared at each other. Takao's face was as open as ever in that instant and Kai could clearly read the hope and longing under his stunned expression. The sound of his name had been nothing more than a whisper, but it had been spoken with an astonishment that bordered on reverence that made Kai's heart ache inside his chest.

Nobody else said his name the same way Takao did. And then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone again. The reservation Kai had felt from Takao when he'd come to announce his departure was back, and Kai didn't like it one little bit. "You're an eyesore," Kai said bluntly, turning his attention back to Hitoshi. "Get lost."

Hitoshi looked startled by Kai's rudeness, but Takao appeared to be fighting his amusement. "Could you give us a moment, Nii-chan?" he asked. "Whatever Kai has to say, it must be important."  
Hitoshi didn't seem willing to leave at all if the way he shot a glare back at Kai was anything to go by.

"Please?" Takao added quietly, offering up a tiny smile. It softened when Hitoshi turned on his heel and walked away and seemed almost fond when his gaze moved back to Kai's. "You didn't have to be so frank. It kind of hurts people's feelings when you act like that."

Kai said nothing, just reached inside his jacket and took out the item that he'd promised to return, watching as Takao looked down at his open palm and bit his lip when he saw what Kai was holding. His own hand came up hesitantly, and Kai could see his fingers trembling as he finally laid them over Dragoon. Kai's other hand moved to settle over Takao's, closing it over Takao's knuckles with a firm grip and keeping him in place.

"Battle me, Kinomiya," he said softly, and again his heart ached when he saw a spark of something behind Takao's eyes. "Is that why you came all this way?" Takao asked, his voice shaking almost as much as his fingers. "Because you wanted to fight me?"

"I came to bring you back," Kai told him, "but instead of forcing you, I'll make a deal. If you win you can go wherever you want and do whatever you want. If you win you'll have proven that you're capable of going it alone."

"And if *you* win?" Takao prompted.

"Then you'll return with me and we'll get stronger together," said Kai, slowly pushing both of Takao's hands away before letting them go. "Don't be a loser, Kinomiya. I refuse to accept anything less than the best from my greatest rival. I don't know why you decided to give up your champion title, but if there's a wall that you need to surpass, then I won't leave you to face it on your own. I'm not going to let you make the same kind of foolish mistakes I did."

"You're serious," Takao said, unable to take his eyes off Dragoon. "You're actually being serious."

"I wouldn't be wasting my breath if I wasn't," said Kai. "Now, show me a place where we can battle in private, with no interference and no interruptions. I want a place for just the two of us."  
"Just the two of us," Takao echoed, finally lifting his gaze and locking it into Kai's. "Nobody else..."

"That's right," said Kai, affirmatively. "Lead the way, Kinomiya."

Takao seemed to have made his decision about something, because he spun on his heel and set off in the direction opposite to the one his brother had walked away in, leaving Kai to follow. It took a few minutes for them to reach the spot Takao had in mind, and Kai glanced around in approval. It wasn't completely isolated, but a beach that was relatively deserted seemed to be the best they were about to get. He wasn't complaining in any case.

Takao watched as Kai set down the bag that he'd been carrying and pulled out two shooters, tossing one over to Takao, who neatly made the catch. Then, they faced off. Kai wasted no time going on the offensive, but Takao was being unusually slow to retaliate. Kai wasn't worried, though. He knew better than anyone that whenever Takao found himself being pushed to the edge of defeat, he always fought back with maximum power, and this fight was no exception. Kai kept pushing and pushing; just waiting for Takao to start returning his blows, and eventually, his patience was rewarded. Dragoon suddenly knocked Dranzer out of its path with a force that would have surprised Kai had he not been expecting it, and then Dragoon was the one doing the attacking. Takao didn't let up once he'd started, but Kai was ready for him, countering Takao's every blow with one of his own as the two blades clashed repeatedly.

Takao's expression was fierce, almost frightening, but it was one of the things that made battling him like this so worthwhile, and when he noticed Kai's scrutiny, he gave one of the most blindingly beautiful smiles that Kai had ever seen. His whole face was alive with joy and happiness, and Kai knew for certain how wrong it would be for that same happiness to be torn away from Takao's existence.

He had to bring Takao back. He had to win, at any cost. But then something happened, something that made the day melt into night and caused the stars above them to fall to earth in an endless shower of light. The sand was there, still crunching under Kai's feet, just as the ocean was still laid out before him, its sparkling blue depths reaching out as far as the eye could see.

"Looks like you got your wish," Takao said, gesturing towards their surroundings. It was the same as it had been before. The same silence was there, and it was still comforting rather than stifling. Takao was speaking, but his mouth wasn t moving. Even so, Kai could hear his voice echoing clearly inside his head, and he knew that if he were to answer, Takao would receive his words in an identical fashion. Kai didn't even try to stop the smile from forming on his lips as he stared at the gently lapping waves in front of him. This was the only place his soul had ever really felt at peace, the only place he'd ever gained true understanding and received it in return. If only he could remain here with Takao for all eternity, untouched by everything else, just him and the one person Kai held dear above all others. "But we can't stay," Takao reminded him, like he'd heard Kai's thoughts as plainly as his speech. "We have to leave sooner or later."

"Before we do," Kai said, "I want you to tell me something. I want to know why you've chosen to retire from beyblade."

"I can't hide from you, Kai," Takao said softly. "Not here. Not now."

"Then tell me," Kai urged him. "Help me understand."

Takao sat down slowly and Kai followed, moving close enough that he could feel the heat radiating from Takao's body but leaving enough distance between them so that they weren't actually touching. "You'll probably laugh at me," Takao said, after a moment. "You'll probably think I'm stupid, or that I'm weak, but that's okay. If it's you, then I don't mind admitting it."

"Admitting what?" asked Kai.

"That I don't know if I can face putting myself through another tournament after the last one we had," said Takao. "It took a while to understand that you and Rei and Max only left because you had something to prove, but for me, it was different. It was like my whole world had fallen apart without you guys being there in it. I kept having these stupid nightmares, but that wasn't the worst of it. For the first time ever, I actually felt afraid of my own best friends. How messed up is that, huh?"

He paused to scoop up a handful of sand, watching the tiny grains slip through his fingers.

"I was so scared," he whispered, tucking his knees underneath his chin and suddenly looking very small and vulnerable. "I was so terrified that you'd hate me or that you'd forget about me, or worse, that you wouldn't find me worthy. I disappointed Rei when I first fought him, and I totally let myself down. I just didn't want to accept anything that was happening around me. I was pathetic. I was miserable. I spent most of those early matches acting like a spoiled brat. I was an embarrassment to myself and to my whole team... or at least what was left of it."

"Nobody can win a tournament on their own," Kai said reasonably. "You should know that better than anyone. If you don't want to face beyblade on your own, what makes you think you'd fare any better without that to hold onto?"

"Because Hitoshi Nii-chan was right," Takao insisted. "I rely on you way too much. You saw the way I went to pieces without you and the other guys by my side."

"I also saw the way you picked yourself up and carried on," Kai reminded him. "There was nothing pathetic about the BBA Revolution's victory over Neo Borg in the finals. You gave me one of the hardest and most rewarding battles of my life. To throw away all that hard work now would only be foolish."

"So what are you trying to say?" Takao asked, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "That it's okay for you to leave whenever you want but not for me? At least Rei and Max had the decency to tell me they were quitting. You just disappeared, no note, no phone call... nothing. Even when I learned from Nii-chan about what happened, it was still so hard to keep on going without you. Maybe I am just a big old cry baby, but what's wrong about wanting to fight alongside you rather than against you?"

"You were the one who taught me about dependency being anything but weak," Kai said firmly. "There's nothing wrong with relying on other people."

"How can you rely on someone if they're not even there?" Takao said harshly.

"I'll throw that same question right back at you," said Kai. "Did you ever think about how *I* rely on you for certain things? Did you ever think about how I felt after you left?"

"Stop being selfish!" Takao shouted, now shaking with barely suppressed rage. "Did *you* ever consider *my* feelings when you ditched me? You always leave, regardless of what I say or think, and it hurts!" His anger seemed to drain from him after that and he slumped in on himself, resting his forehead against his hands and leaving the rest of his face hidden by his bangs. "It hurt so much..."

"And you really think running away will solve your problems?" said Kai, his voice softening a little. "It never worked for me. Besides, the Kinomiya I know would never give up so easily."

"Daichi said that too," Takao murmured, laughing humourlessly. "He called me a coward."

"You're no coward," Kai said sternly. "Everyone loses their way sometimes."

"Then what should I do?" Takao asked.

"Remember how you've managed to come so far," Kai told him. "Remember what you've been fighting for all this time."

"What I've been fighting for?" Takao repeated. "How can I...?"

"I'll be honest when I say that I'm not going to coddle you," Kai cut in, "but I'm not going to let you down, either." He stood up and held a hand out to Takao, like Takao had done for him so many times in the past. "Come with me, Kinomiya."

Takao hesitated, then reached out and grasped Kai's hand with his own, uttering a soft sound of surprise when Kai yanked him to his feet and pulled him into his arms. His whole body shook as Kai embraced him with all his strength and there was no more need for him to hold back. He clung to Kai, soaking in the security and protection that he'd craved for so long, hearing nothing other than the sound of his own sobs and the ocean waves crashing around them, tearing away whatever barriers remained between them. And then they were back, no longer pressed tightly together but standing opposite one another, breathing hard and waiting for the dust to settle. Both blades were still spinning, but a closer inspection revealed that they were gradually beginning to lose their speed until finally, they came to a stop at the exact same moment.

"I don't believe it," Takao said, laughing. "We finished with a tie."

"We haven't finished anything," Kai stated, stooping down to retrieve Dranzer. "We've only just begun."

"You have a point," agreed Takao, picking up Dragoon with a grin. "We both still have a ways to go, huh?"

"We won t be going it alone, though," said Kai, solemnly.

"Yeah," Takao said affectionately. "I guess you re right."


	4. Four

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao Rating: R

Status: Complete (4/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

Hitoshi was waiting for Takao when he returned to the room where they'd been staying, and even though Takao was nervous, he knew he'd made the right decision this time. He wasn't sure how Hitoshi would react, but no matter what happened, Takao was determined not to have any regrets.

"Nii-chan," he said quietly, closing the door behind him and walking up to where Hitoshi was sitting. "Nii-chan, I -"

"You don't have to say any more," Hitoshi told him, fixing Takao with one of his usual piercing stares. "I knew what would happen the second I saw Kai. You're going back with him, aren't you?"  
Takao bit his lip and then bowed respectfully in front of his brother. "Nii-chan, I'm sorry," he said. "I know I shouldn't be changing my mind like this, but-"

"Kai is more important to you," Hitoshi interrupted. "I tried," Takao began, keeping his head lowered. "I wanted to be like you, but I couldn't. You're stronger than I am - strong enough to survive on your own. I'm different, though. I need to be with people who are precious to me. That's why I can't turn my back on them. That's why I'm going home."

Hitoshi merely sighed. "Straighten up, Takao," he said, getting to his feet and laying his hands on Takao's shoulders, frowning when he felt him flinch. "I really am sorry, Nii-chan," Takao said, chancing a smile, "but I think it's better for me to do things my way this time. You and Tou-chan have your archaeology while Jii-chan has his dojo."

"And what do *you* have?" Hitoshi asked.

"I have a reason to keep on going," Takao said, his smile becoming much more genuine. "Well, that and some sort of half-baked idea which might not even work, but at least now things are starting to feel right for me again."

"Because of your important person," stated Hitoshi.

"*People*, Nii-chan," Takao corrected him, laughing. "It's plural, not singular."

"Only one of them came all this way to find you, though," Hitoshi pointed out. "Only one of them was able to change your mind and set you straight."

"But you won't hate him, will you?" Takao said, his laughter dying away as a hint of urgency crept into his voice. "Don't be mad at Kai for taking me away."

Hitoshi released Takao's shoulders and walked over to the window, staring out of it pensively. "If you've already made your choice, there's nothing I can do to stop you," he said. "Even if you don't agree with that choice?" Takao asked.

Hitoshi didn't respond.

"Kai's not a bad person, you know," Takao continued, following Hitoshi's gaze and watching as a pair of gulls flew by in the distance. "Even when he makes me sad, it never feels wrong for me to be with him."  
"You trust him," Hitoshi said quietly. "Even though he's betrayed you in the past and would probably do the same again, if it suited him. You still give him so much."

"Of course I do," Takao said simply. "He's Kai."

Hitoshi turned to look at Takao, his expression stern. Takao stared back at him determinedly and Hitoshi finally saw fit to give him a smile. "Go home, squirt," he said fondly. "Besides, I'm sure Jii-san is missing you."

"He misses you too," Takao said earnestly. "I know he'd be happy if you came with me. After all, it's not like anyone's forcing you to stay away. If you come home, we could start being a proper family!"  
"I have things I need to do just as much as you," Hitoshi reminded, leaning in and flicking Takao on the nose playfully and sending Takao's earlier words back at him. "Don't get mad and hate me for it, okay?"  
"Only if you promise not to take another nine years to turn up," Takao said, only half-joking. "I wouldn't want to forget your face *again*. That'd be just too embarrassing. And anyway," he added, sniffling a little, "I'd really miss you."

"Don't start getting all teary-eyed now," Hitoshi said, poking Takao's forehead with his index finger. "You're too old for this stuff."

"But I'm about to say goodbye to my only brother!" Takao protested, rubbing his eyes furiously. "How can I not be upset? You'd better come back soon, otherwise I'll set Jii-chan onto you, then you'll be sorry. You'll be wishing you'd never left when he starts putting you through his special hell training!"

"I will return," Hitoshi told him, "and I promise I won't leave it so long next time."

"You'd better," Takao said, taking off his hat and thrusting it into Hitoshi's hands. "And to honour that promise, you have to take this!"

"I'm the one who gave it to you," Hitoshi said, pushing it back. "Don't you know it's rude to turn away a gift?"

"I'm only lending it," Takao corrected. "So now you have to come back, if only to return my hat. You'd better not lose it either, or else I really *will* get mad."

"Then it's a promise," said Hitoshi, ruffling Takao's hair. "I'll bring your hat back, and in exchange, you can show me how much stronger you've grown in my absence."

"It's a deal," Takao said, holding out his hand and grinning when Hitoshi shook it. "Don't you dare forget."

A few hours later, however, he couldn't stop patting the top of his head self-consciously after he and Kai had boarded their first flight back home.

"Stop fidgeting," Kai admonished. "It's getting on my nerves."

"I can't help it," Takao said sheepishly, folding his hands in his lap and trying hard to keep still. "I feel naked without my hat."

Kai gave him a peculiar look but didn't respond, just settled back into his seat and closed his eyes.

"Anyway," Takao said, stretching his arms out in front of him and moving around to make himself more comfortable. "Even though my trip was cut kind of short, I still got to see some pretty amazing things. I saw monasteries and temples and museums and dig sites and-"

"Kinomiya, I haven't slept it almost two days," Kai said, cutting him off. "Do me a favour and shut your trap."

Takao fell silent immediately, but instead of being insulted or offended, he simply smiled. Kai really did look tired upon closer inspection, and Takao's smile grew broader as he stood up and reached into the overhead compartment, pulling out one of the blankets stored inside and draping it over Kai's shoulders.

Kai opened his eyes again and glared at him, but Takao only grinned back and made a zipping motion across his lips with his index finger, then settled down into his seat. Minutes ticked by and even Kai was impressed that Takao had managed to stay quiet for so long, but inevitably, he opened his mouth again to speak.

"Hey, Kai."

Kai frowned irritably, but he found himself answering anyway. "What is it, Kinomiya?"

"I've been thinking something over," Takao began, glancing over at Kai, who had yet to open his eyes. "Mind if I tell you about it? I promise I'll shut up when I'm done."

"Fine," Kai sighed. "Go ahead and talk."

"Well, you know how I wanted to retire from beyblade?" Takao said, reaching out to tug at his hat and then making a face when he remembered that it wasn't there anymore. "I didn't really want to give it up *altogether*. I kind of had this idea that I'm not sure about, but even so, it's still something I might want to try."

He fell silent for a moment and Kai had to prompt him to continue. "What's that?"

"You'll probably laugh when I tell you," Takao admitted, scratching the back of his head, "but I think that maybe teaching kids about the sport wouldn't be such a bad idea."

He waited for Kai to find amusement in what he'd just said, but Kai said nothing, just opened one eye and waited patiently for him finish.

"I know Hiromi always says I'm way too competitive to teach, but the more I think about it, the more I kind of want to do it," Takao said. "I love blading, and I want to teach others how to love it, too. Some people still take it way too seriously, and they don't realise that learning and being able to have fun is even more important than winning, like those kids I saw in Bolkov's Abbey."

He looked over at Kai apprehensively, as though expecting him to be angry for dredging up his painful past, and again, Kai waited for him to carry on.

"It's not only that," Takao added. "It's being able to do something for others, you know? When I fought Brooklyn, I just felt so bad for him. His heart was so cold, and everything about him was way too sad. No one had ever taught him to enjoy his battles or taught him anything about true spirit. If I could do something to change people like that... if I could help them and know that I've managed to give something really worthwhile... then I think that'd be just as awesome as winning any tournament, maybe even more so. Does that sound weird?"

"Not to me," Kai said mildly. "People have always been drawn to you, Kinomiya. If you believe you can make a difference, then do it."

"You know what? Maybe I will." Takao smiled to himself, looking pleased and embarrassed. "Thanks for listening, Kai, and thanks for not giving up on me, even when I nearly gave up on myself."

"Now we're even," Kai told him. "We've cancelled out each other's debts, end of story. There's no more need for apologies, or for thank you's."

"Typical Kai," said Takao, rolling his eyes. "You're always so practical. But hey, enough about me. What do *you* want to do with your life? You've got smarts, so you'll probably want to study. Now that I think about it, you're college age, aren't you? Have you applied to any place yet? I bet you'll go for something like Tokyo University. You'd get in, too. You'd ace those entrance exams, no sweat. I have total faith in you."

"Then your faith must be misplaced," Kai said wryly. "I'm not applying to any institution."

"It's not like you have to do it right away," Takao said, shrugging. "Lots of people take a year out before going from school and into college."

"I can't exactly do that, either," said Kai, causing Takao to look at him with curiosity. "I may be old enough for college acceptance, but I don't have the qualifications to go along with it."

"What do you mean?" Takao inquired, cocking his head. "I thought you went to some fancy private school?"

"Only when I felt like turning up," Kai said, frowning. "I wasn't exactly a model student, Kinomiya. I skipped so many classes that no high school in the country would allow me to graduate with my poor grades. "

Takao managed to stay quiet for a whole three seconds before hooting loudly with laughter, slapping his thigh in a raucous fashion and gasping for breath. "But... but..." he choked, completely oblivious to Kai's murderous expression. "It's just so *funny*! Man, you're such a rebel. That really is so *you*."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kai said darkly.

"I just meant that you're a law unto yourself," Takao said, wiping the tears away from his eyes and sighing deeply before turning serious again. "You always do whatever you want, don't you? To be honest, it's kind of enviable."

"I wasn't always like that," Kai said, looking away from Takao with a frown. "Even if my frankness hurts people's feelings, like you say, it's still better than being controlled and manipulated by somebody who only sees your worth as a tool."

Takao felt a pang of sympathy when he heard that. Kai very rarely talked about his life prior to joining the BBA, and although Takao would have done just about everything in his power to make Kai happy, he knew better than anyone that Kai often mistook concern for pity. His pride wouldn't allow him to show any weakness, so just hearing him mention something of his past like this, even if it was only in passing, made Takao feel honoured. "Well, it's not like you have to worry about that stuff anymore," he said, folding his arms behind his head. "It doesn't matter if you don't have any family, either. You still have me. The rest of the gang are here for you, too. There's Rei and Max and Kyoujuu... even Daichi and Hiromi. Jii-chan's a little weird and all, but he cares about you as well. Even Daitenji Oji-chan cares. We all do. That's because you're special, even if you are a big old grouch."

Kai looked back at Takao, his face registering genuine surprise. Takao didn't know whether to laugh or smack him upside the head, but either way, it wasn't like he blamed Kai for anything. Kai had always been a loner, and even though he'd come a long way over time, he still didn't mix willingly with other people. It was just as silly as it was sad that Takao had to explain outright to Kai just how important and appreciated he actually was, but it was one of the many things made Kai so endearing and unique.

In any case, Takao had managed to get the message over this time, and Kai gave him one of those tiny, tentative smiles that made Takao's heart feel like bursting with sheer happiness as he gave Kai a goofy grin of his own, even though he was kicking himself mentally for having nearly thrown something as amazing as this away. "You said earlier about me being old enough for college," Kai began, speaking slowly, as though choosing his words with care, "but that's not the only thing I'm old enough for. When I turned eighteen earlier this year, I automatically inherited everything from my grandfather's estate. To put it simply, I won't ever have to worry about finances for the rest of my life."

"That's awesome!" Takao said enthusiastically. "Really, it's neat that you can take care of yourself now, without having to get stressed out about money and stuff like that." Then he paused. "Hey, wait a second. Why do you rent that poky little apartment if you actually have cash to spare now? You could buy yourself a much bigger place instead, right?"

"That's what I'm getting at," Kai told him. "It wasn't just the money that I inherited. My grandfather's mansion came along with it."

"A mansion?" Takao squawked, earning himself a glare from the couple sitting across from him. "You mean one of those big-ass houses that have about eight million bedrooms?"

"Actually, it only has fifteen," Kai said dismissively, but Takao continued to gawk at him.

"*Only* fifteen?" he repeated. "Sheesh, you say that like it isn't enough or something."

"That's the point I'm trying to make," explained Kai. "It's far too much for just one person."

"You're not kidding," Takao said, still more than a little awed. "I see now why you stuck with that teeny apartment. So what are you going to do with the mansion, sell it?"

"Not exactly," Kai said. "I wouldn't mind keeping it, if only I had some company."

It took a while for Takao to realise what Kai was getting at, but once he did, he said, "Hold on here. You're asking *me* to move in with you?"

"Forget I said it," Kai muttered, turning away. "The whole idea was stupid."

"No, no, wait!" Takao urged, reaching out and grabbing hold of Kai's elbow. "I didn't mean it like that, I just... well, I... it's just kind of... wow, you know?"

"Yes, it's shocking," Kai said dryly. "I get the picture. I never expected you to agree, anyway."

"Hey, don't go making all my decisions for me," Takao warned, giving Kai's shoulder a playful punch. "I haven't even answered you yet."

"No, but you did an admirable impression of a fish out of water," replied Kai, exasperated. "Just forget it. I should never have brought it up."

Takao shook his head, smiling gently at the way Kai tried to hide his embarrassment over what he'd taken to be an outright rejection. "Will you at least give me some time to think it over?" he asked.

"You mean you're actually going to consider this?" said Kai, not having expected Takao's response. "Yeah, I am," Takao said honestly. "I don't know what to decide right now, but I want to have a good long think before I go about giving you a proper answer."

"Then it's enough for me," Kai said softly, avoiding Takao's gaze. "Even if you don't want to go through with it... it's still enough that you've actually considered it. I don't really need anything more than that."

couldn't help running those words over and over in his head once he'd arrived back home, though. He still couldn't quite grasp the fact that Kai was trying to reach out to him again so soon after he'd gone to the effort of bringing him back. That was why he'd found himself sitting outside on the porch after dropping his bags off in his room, staring up at the night sky as though expecting to find the answer he was looking for among the many stars shining overhead.

For the second time since he'd left he was torn between what he wanted and what he felt that he ought to do, and it only served to remind him that he really was growing up. A few years ago, his most agonising decisions would have been over which shirt to wear for school or which flavour ice cream would taste best for dessert, but now things were totally different. The decisions he made now would be life-changing ones, not trivial and frivolous as they once had been.

"Ugh, my head is starting to hurt," he groaned, lying back and stretching out with a sigh. "I never would have guessed adulthood would be so tough. If I'd known it was like this, I would have stayed a child forever."

He kicked his legs mournfully and reached inside his pocket, pulling out his most prized possession.

"What do *you* think I should do, Dragoon?" he asked, tilting the blade in his hand and watching as the light of the moon reflected off its smooth surface. "I really want to go with Kai, but I don't want to leave Jii-chan on his own. It's times like this when I wish I could be in two places at once."

He sighed again, then nearly jumped out of his skin when the door behind him slid open and his grandfather stepped outside.

"What are you mumbling about?" the old man said, placing his hands on his hips and staring down at Takao curiously. "Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity, you know."

"I wasn't talking to myself, I was busy trying to make up my mind about something," Takao huffed, kicking his legs again. "Something bothering you, kiddo?" his grandfather questioned. "Like they always say, sharing is caring. Maybe I can help?"

"I don't know," Takao said dubiously. "It's a pretty big dilemma."

"Then we'll put our heads together and solve it in an appropriate manly fashion," the elder Kinomiya said, striking a pose. "That means drowning our problems in drink!"  
"Jii-chan, I'm underage," Takao said icily. "I'm not allowed alcohol!"

"Now, now, you'll never lead a big life if you worry about all the little details," his grandfather scolded. "Stop dwelling on the past and just move on to the future! You'll feel better after a nice cup of sake, I promise!"

"You're hopeless," Takao complained, rolling over onto his side and tucking an arm underneath his head. "I must have been crazy to expect any kind of real advice from you."

The elder Kinomiya tugged his moustache cunningly, then said, "It's Kai, isn't it?"

Takao nearly fell right off the porch in shock when he heard that. "H-how did you know?" he stammered.

"The guy's been driving you into a tizzy for the past three years now," his grandfather said, winking. "I figured he might be related to your little problem somehow."

"Three years, huh?" Takao murmured. "It doesn't seem that long at all since I first met him." He rolled over onto his back again with a wistful sigh. "Kai..."

"Enough of that," his grandfather said sternly, yanking Takao to his feet. "You're not going to solve anything by swooning like a lovesick maiden. If you're going to make your decision, you'd better do it in the approved Kinomiya way. That means you've got to be straight-backed and proud, not wishy-washy and mopey!"

"Jii-chan, this is serious!" Takao protested. "Quit kidding around!"

"I'm not joking, little man," the old man told him solemnly. "If you're worried about something, don't let this old-timer hold you back. If there's something that you're wishing for with all your heart, you'd better go out there and get it. You'll never accomplish anything if you keep trying to live up to other people's expectations. Only *you* know what you can or can't do. Only *you* know what you do or don't want. Am I right?"

"Jii-chan," Takao said in amazement, fighting to keep himself from falling flat on his face when his grandfather slapped him on the back encouragingly.

"That's the spirit! Keep your chin up, kiddo, and remember that I'll always be proud of you, no matter what you do." The elder Kinomiya ruffled Takao's hair, then cuffed him over the ear. "Just don't think you'll be able to skip practise, though. You may have beaten me once, but you still have a lot to learn."

Takao watched as he walked away, pausing for a second or two before making his own way back into the house, picking up the phone and punching in a number that he'd memorised a long time ago.

"Kai? Yeah, it's me. Listen, I think I'm going to take you up on that offer..."


	5. Five

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (5/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

Takao left the dojo bright and early next morning, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by a small figure taking a daring leap off the roof and landing right in front of him.

"And where do you think *you're* going, huh?"

Daichi stood with his arms outstretched, making it impossible for Takao to pass.

"Oh, you're back," Takao said disinterestedly, nudging Daichi aside. "Don't mess up the place while I'm out, understood?"

"You're not leaving again!" said Daichi, throwing himself onto Takao's waist. "I won't let you!"

"Hey, quit it!" Takao warned, making a face when he sniffed the top of Daichi's head. "Have you been rolling in something? You smell terrible."

"Of course I do!" cried Daichi. "I haven't taken a bath since you left!"

Takao nearly gagged in disgust as he finally managed to peel Daichi away, whipping out the kendo sword that he'd slung over his back earlier and holding it out in front of him threateningly. "Don't touch me again. Spread your filthy germs to someone else instead."

"Ha, ha, very funny," Daichi said sarcastically, smacking the sword away and glaring up at Takao. "You'd better not try sneaking away again, though, otherwise I'll follow you!"

"I am not *sneaking*," Takao said irritably. "Besides, Jii-chan already knows where I'm off to."

"So where *are* you going?" asked Daichi. "I'll still follow, even if you're travelling to another country!"

"Jeez, I'm only checking out some property with Kai," Takao told him, poking Daichi away with the sword when he began getting too close for comfort. "It's not like I'm disappearing for good or anything. I'll still be close by."

Daichi blinked. "You're going with Kai this time?" Then a sly grin spread over his face, making Takao narrow his eyes in suspicion.

"What's that look for?" he said, feeling even more annoyed when Daichi's expression turned smug.

"Oh, nothing," Daichi said airily. "If you can't figure it out, then it's your problem. Anyway, I take back what I said earlier, so you can leave if you want. I've already decided that I'll be moving in with Jii-chan."  
"He's not *your* grandfather, so don't call him that!" Takao said, forgetting about any kind of contamination and giving Daichi a vigorous noogie. "But he already said I could!" whined Daichi. "He said it'd be okay for me to stay, too!"

Takao found himself being momentarily struck by guilt as Daichi continued to break free from his grip. He'd been so wrapped up in his own affairs that Daichi had been the very last thing on his mind over the past few days. Takao had initially felt bad when Daichi had first run off, but now he felt even worse when he remembered that Daichi really didn't have any place to go. As far as he knew, Daichi didn't have any remaining family, either. He prattled on about his father all the time, but he'd never mentioned anything about a mother or siblings. Then there was Takao's grandfather. He'd encouraged Takao to follow his heart, but if that ended up taking him away, there'd be no doubt that even the outspoken and eccentric old man would be left lonely. The more Takao thought about it, the less annoying the idea of Daichi taking his place seemed to be. He and the elder Kinomiya had always gotten along well with each other, even if Daichi was constantly getting under Takao's skin. Maybe the arrangement wouldn't be such a bad one after all.

Takao released Daichi from the headlock he'd forced him into so that he could place his hands on the younger boy's shoulders and stare down at him determinedly.

"Hey, why'd you get so serious all of a sudden?" said Daichi, squirming in discomfort. "I think I like you better when you're being an immature jerk."

"Listen up, you little mountain monkey," Takao told him sternly. "If you really have decided to stick around, then you'd better pay close attention to what I'm going to say."

Daichi blinked once again, confusion written all over his features. "Pay attention to what?"

"To my orders," Takao said. "First of all, if this place is going to be your new home, then you're going to start paying it some respect. That means helping out whenever you're asked. Got that?"  
"I already do help out!" huffed Daichi. "And not that I care or anything, but what's order number two?"

"Number two is the most important," Takao replied. "It means watching out for Jii-chan in my place. Can I trust you to handle such a big job, brat?"

Daichi stared in shock for a moment and then drew himself up with a sharp salute. "You can count on me!" he said proudly. "I'll take care of Jii-chan *and* the dojo, and I'll do both jobs way better than you ever could!"

"I'll leave it to you, then," Takao said, smacking Daichi on the back before drawing his hand away quickly and wiping it on the leg of his pants with a grimace. "Clean yourself up before you do anything, though, otherwise you'll start attracting flies."

"Aye, aye, captain!" said Daichi, stripping out of his shirt and fumbling with the buckle of his belt.

"Not here, idiot!" Takao hissed, shoving Daichi in the direction of the house. "We don't want the neighbours to go blind!"

Daichi stuck his tongue out but did as he was told, causing Takao to shake his head ruefully as he turned around and left. A quick glance at his watch told him he was still early for his meeting with Kai, but he figured being the first to turn up wouldn't hurt. He'd already written down the directions Kai had given him, and the security code to gain entrance to the grounds themselves. Not that he was planning to go in without Kai. He just wanted to take a look around.

He got his wish fifteen minutes later when he turned up at the gates, staring openly in amazement at the huge building that lay before him. Even though he'd made his choice already, he still couldn't picture himself living in such a place at all, or Kai for that matter. He had no idea if Kai intended to hire help, but the idea of just the two of them taking care of a mansion on their own seemed just a little bit daunting. Maybe it was just Takao's imagination, but the place even looked spooky, at least on the outside. It wasn't abandoned or anything, but clearly nobody had lived there for a long time. Takao swallowed and tried hard not to think about the kind of things that might be lying around inside. Kai's family was richer than rich, but hidden treasures were the least of Takao's worries right now. Besides, Hiwatari Souichiro had never been what most people would consider normal. Power-hungry and ever so slightly insane, it wouldn't have surprised Takao if he'd stashed a collection of pickled animals in the basement. He'd seen them for himself in Bolkov's Abbey, after all, just like he'd seen the poor creatures' spirits being siphoned out of them. Then again, maybe there were worse things lying in wait. Maybe Kai's grandfather hadn't been collecting pickled animals but pickled *people* instead?

Takao shuddered, feeling sick as he imagined finding a bunch of dead bodies littered inside the hallway. Then he found himself wondering if the house could be haunted. It certainly seemed that way in his opinion, but he shook himself firmly and tried to force those thoughts from his head.

"Okay, get a grip," he said to himself, ignoring the way his voice shook. "There's absolutely nothing inside that can hurt you because there are no such things as ghosts."

He was momentarily relieved until he brushed a hand over his pocket by chance, feeling the weight of his blade tucked away inside it. Then he went cold all over. If scared spirits such as Seiryuu existed, surely the souls of deceased human beings were real and tangible too?

"Now you're being stupid," he muttered, trying desperately to believe his own words. "Just because this place *looks* haunted doesn't mean it actually is."

All he needed to do was get a closer look and then he'd be able to reassure himself that nothing was out of the ordinary. Nodding decisively, he turned to the lock beside him and lifted his hand to look at the code he'd written down on his palm, then gasped in horror when he saw that it was no longer there. He nearly kicked himself when he remembered washing his hands before he'd left the dojo, having completely forgotten about the ink on his skin, and squinted desperately to see if he'd left behind anything legible.

"Um... I think I see a three," he said under his breath, still squinting. "Or maybe it's an eight? What came after it, anyway, a five? Or was it a nine? Ugh!"

He hopped about from one foot to the other and then brightened as something came to mind. The mansion was old, so old, the security probably wasn'teven working properly anymore. Kai mentioned that nobody had lived there in years, and that it had been a while since anyone had last checked inside. Maybe he could enter after all, without having to worry about any precautions?

His mind made up, Takao easily scaled the gate and wobbled precariously at the top for a second or two before lowering himself carefully back down. The second his feet touched the ground, however, an alarm began blaring loudly, making him flail his arms in panic.

"Gah! What should I do?" he squawked, not liking the idea of having to explain himself to the authorities if he got caught. Before he could ponder his predicament any longer, though, the alarm switched off, the gates swung open and a hand came down heavily on Takao's shoulder. Takao reacted instinctively, raising his sword and smashing it over the newcomer's head. A violent curse was his response, but before Takao could bring the sword down again, he found it being wrenched out of his grasp, his arms forced up roughly as the intruder held his wrists firm.

Takao was just about to scream when-

"Dammit, Kinomiya, why the hell are you attacking me?"

Takao cracked his eyes open warily and nearly fainted with relief when he saw that Kai had been the one to restrain him, not some random burglar.

"Is there a reason as to why you're carrying a sword around in public?" Kai asked, releasing Takao when he realised that he wasn't going to try anything else.

"But... but... it's for intruders and... and... ghosts or pickled animals might show up... and..." Takao trailed off helplessly at Kai's expression, feeling extremely foolish about what he'd just done. Then he noticed the tiny trickle of blood running down Kai's forehead and clapped a hand to his mouth in shock. "Oh my God, you're bleeding! I-I could have killed you!"

"With a wooden stick?" Kai said sceptically, lifting one of his own hands and pressing his index and middle finger gingerly against the wound. Takao dug around in his pockets hastily for something to mop the blood up with and growling when he came up empty. He reached down and grabbed the hem of his tee shirt, tearing off a thin strip and handing it over to Kai, his head lowered in apology. "Um... here you go."  
Kai accepted the piece of cloth and dabbed his forehead with it as Takao fidgeted guiltily.

"Sorry for hitting you like that," Takao said, after a moment's silence. "I really didn't mean to. The whole thing was an accident."

"I figured as much," Kai said dryly. "Now, are you going to fool around some more or are you ready to take a look inside?"

He led the way across the gravel path and Takao followed, hanging back a little as Kai took a large brass key out and fit it into the lock of the heavy-looking front door. Takao leaned up on his tiptoes and peeked over Kai's shoulder as it swung open, wrinkling his nose at the faintly musty smell that came from inside.

Kai beckoned him into the hallway and Takao tried not to cringe as the door closed behind them with an ominous click, sticking so close to Kai that they were practically walking shoulder to shoulder.  
"Is something wrong?" asked Kai, taking note of Takao's edginess.

"I was just wondering," Takao said nervously. "Uh... your grandfather didn't bring any of his little projects home with him, did he? I mean, it's not like we're going to find lab equipment or test subjects anywhere... are we?"

"I doubt it," said Kai. "Even though this place was in his name, he hardly ever spent time here, from what I've been told. He was too busy travelling the world to worry about such tedious things as family affairs."  
"But it's in your name now," Takao reminded him. "You could fix this place up good, if you wanted."

"For now, we're only looking around," Kai said. "We can make alterations later."

He turned to the left and turned the handle of a door that opened into what appeared to be a dining hall, but it wasn't like anything Takao had ever seen. Just that one room was probably about half the size of the Kinomiya dojo, and Takao couldn't help his jaw from dropping at the sight.

"We're supposed to *eat* here?" he said in a hushed voice, not entirely sure why it had suddenly dropped to a whisper.

"I suppose," said Kai, nonchalantly. "The kitchen probably won't be too far away."

It turned out that he was right, and Takao went even more slack-jawed when they stepped inside.

"Just think of all the *food* we could fit in this place!" he said, his earlier apprehension conveniently cast aside as he set about opening cupboards and drawers and pantry doors. "I think this room has to be my favourite one so far."

Kai didn't seem at all surprised by that particular statement, and after a brief inspection of the rest of the first floor, they started climbing the stairs.

"Whoa, this place really is dusty," murmured Takao, running a finger over the banister and drawing out a random pattern in the specks that coated it. "Cleaning it is going to be a pain."

"I said we'll worry about that later," Kai told him. "So what's up here?" Takao asked.

"Bedrooms and bathrooms mostly," said Kai. "The floor above is just for storage."

Most of the rooms were empty, but a handful were already furnished. Takao's eyes went wide with delight when he discovered the last bedroom at the far end of the hallway contained a couch, fireplace, a walk-in bathroom, and an enormous four-poster bed.

"Take a look at *this*!" he cried, running over and spreading out his arms for launch. "Here we go!"

"Kinomiya, wait!" Kai called out, but Takao had already jumped, throwing himself onto the mattress and kicking up a large cloud of dust. "Thanks for the warning," he spluttered, coughing weakly and waving a hand in front of his face as he rolled back off the bed. Kai gave him a look that plainly said 'I told you so', and Takao brushed himself off before walking over to the window and opening it up to let some air inside. "Well, what do you think?" asked Kai, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall.

"Um... it's kind of big," Takao said, leaning out a little and staring down at the grounds below. "It's pretty old, too. And dusty. And spooky. And-"

"Yes, I get the idea," said Kai, impatiently. "Do you want to move in or not?"

Takao glanced over his shoulder and tried to keep from smiling when he saw the frown on Kai's face. Kai was covering his unease and uncertainty with his usual defensiveness, giving off the impression that he didn't care about Takao's response one way or the other, when really Takao knew how anxious Kai was that he might suddenly decide to take back what he'd said the previous night.

"I guess it looks like we have our work cut out for us," Takao said finally, closing up the window. "It's going to take a while to make this place presentable."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Is that a yes or a no?"

Takao turned and gave him the thumbs-up sign. "Say hello to your new housemate!"

Surprise flitted across Kai's face, but he covered it quickly as he pushed himself away from the wall and assumed a more business-like attitude. "If you are going to live here, then that means no more tripping the alarm," he began, making Takao rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. "The security code isn't *that* hard to remember."

"I'll be sure to memorise it from now on," Takao promised, still looking sheepish. "And, uh... sorry again for freaking out and hitting you like I did. You're okay, aren't you?"

"I'll live," Kai said wryly. "At least I didn't knock you out," Takao said, looking on the bright side of the situation. "And it's a good thing you weren't a real attacker, then I might have been in big trouble." Then he paused and said, "Hold on a minute, though. How much will it cost to take care of this place? I don't have your kind of money..."

"There isn't much to be concerned about," said Kai. "The insurance is already covered, so that really just leaves things like taxes, utility bills and other living expenses, like food."

"It still seems like a lot," said Takao, slightly dubious. "But we're going to split everything, right? It's only fair for us both to pay our way."

"Don't worry, Kinomiya," Kai told him. "I'll take care of it."

"No way," Takao said hotly. "I'm doing my share, too! I'll have to talk it over with Jii-chan and get some idea of how I should help out, but don't think you'll be handling everything on your own!"

"You're as obstinate as ever," remarked Kai, more amused than annoyed. "I guess I really *will* have my work cut out for me from now on."

Takao was determined not to take back his words, however, and when the day for them to move in officially arrived, he made sure to be prepared. Kai didn't seem to know what to think when Takao turned up armed with a mountain of cleaning supplies, or maybe he'd just been taken-aback by Takao's new look. Takao had learned his lesson the first time, and now he knew what he had to expect. He'd donned an apron that was just a little too large for him, and he'd wrapped up most of his face with a scarf. Kai stepped aside wordlessly and let Takao get on with it, deciding the kitchen was a safer place to be and spreading out paperwork and legal documents that he needed to read through on the table. He began to feel worried after the first couple of hours passed by, however, and soon found himself wondering if Takao had managed to get himself lost somewhere, or worse, trapped. He was faintly reassured when he heard the sound of footsteps puttering about upstairs, but his concern soon came rushing back when he sniffed the air and coughed in response to the overwhelming smell of cleaning fluid. Apparently, Takao had been over-exuberant in his self-assigned task, because he seemed far too pleased with himself when Kai finally managed to locate him.

"What on earth are you doing?" he asked, covering his mouth and trying not to breathe in the fumes. "How much of this stuff have you been using, anyway?"

"I've been through five bottles so far!" Takao said cheerfully, swaying unsteadily before righting himself again by leaning on his mop. "This floor's so clean you can see your face in it!"  
"Did you even think to open up a window first?" said Kai, striding over to do just that. Sadly, it seemed like it was too little too late for Takao.

"Nope, I didn't open any windows," he replied, still looking far too happy. "Maybe that's why I feel kind of light-headed."

"Only you could get high on furniture polish, Kinomiya," Kai muttered, yanking the mop out of Takao's grasp and catching his arm when he nearly fell. "Come with me. You're getting some fresh air."

Takao laughed dazedly as Kai began to drag him back downstairs, trying not to trip over his own two feet. It was easier said than done. "Come on, Kai," he wheedled. "Cheer up! It's not good to scowl all the time. You'll start getting wrinkles, and I don't want that to happen 'cause I think you're hot."

Kai stopped abruptly, causing Takao to walk into him and bang his face against his back.

"Oww," Takao moaned, bringing a hand up gingerly. "You hurt my nose!"

Kai ignored him, grabbing Takao's free wrist and yanking him the rest of the way down the stairs, not stopping until they'd gotten outside. The chill in the outside air seemed to be just what Takao needed to come to his senses, though Kai continued to observe him carefully as he watched Takao's eyes gradually lose the glaze that had covered them earlier. "Idiot," Kai said ruefully, feeling his earlier annoyance melt away when Takao regarded him with an expression of confusion.

"Something wrong, Kai?" he queried, rubbing his nose and looking relieved to find that it wasn't broken or bleeding. "You don't look too good."

"That's my line," said Kai, fighting the urge to cuff Takao over the head. "*You're* the one who's been inhaling toxic gases for the past couple hours."

"At least most of the rooms on the second floor are clean now," Takao said dismissively. "It's better than leaving them dirty. I guess I should get started on the rest of them while I've still got my groove."

"No more cleaning," Kai said sternly, glaring down at Takao to get his point across. Takao frowned back petulantly, then blinked when he caught a glimpse of his watch. "Actually, you have a point," he said, pulling away from Kai and making his way back into the house. "It's almost time for dinner!"

"You can cook?" said Kai, somewhat startled by this piece of information.

"No, not really," Takao admitted. "But I got a book out of the library, so it shouldn't be too hard for me to follow. We're going to start eating well from now on!"

Seeing as one of Takao's greatest weaknesses was junk food, Kai couldn't help wondering just how long this new and improved attitude on healthy meals would last, but he wasn't exactly in a position to argue as Takao kicked him out of the kitchen. The door slammed shut behind Kai and he made sure to keep the phone near by, just in case he had to call the emergency services.

Even if his methods could be a little haphazard sometimes, Kai had to admit that once Takao had made his mind up about something, he certainly didn't tend to do things halfway. He still wasn't sure what had possessed Takao to try so hard like this, though. Takao had always been the type to order a meal in rather than prepare it himself, and he only ever tended to do housework when forced. Whatever the reason for his change of attitude, he seemed determined to make things work. Kai hadn't really been in any great hurry to fix the house up, but Takao had gone about it with such energy and enthusiasm that Kai was beginning to feel awkward about not doing much to help out.

In any case, Takao didn't seem too worried, although Kai's concern crept back the longer Takao continued to spend holed up inside the kitchen. He'd figured Takao would have taken the easy way out by making microwave pizza or something equally simple and easy, but judging by the crashes and bangs and occasional yelps, he was actually attempting to create a meal all on his own.

Kai stole another look at the clock before sighing heavily. If Takao wasn't careful, that determination and desire to prove just how useful he could be around the house was going to get them both killed, and the last thing Kai wanted was death by cleaning fluid. Nothing was burning or exploding when Takao finally peeked his head around the door, but he did look rather nervous as he placed a tray in front of Kai and smiled anxiously.

"Well?" he said. "What do you think?"

Kai stared down at the contents of the tray and then transferred his gaze to the fidgeting Takao. "Kinomiya, please explain why it's taken over three quarters of an hour for you to make three-minute cup ramen."  
"There's a pretty intense story behind this whole thing, if you're willing to hear it," Takao began, his smile turning slightly manic. "See, while you were sitting out here all peaceful and stuff, a bunch of space aliens came to invade the kitchen in search of this thing they call earth food. I put up a brave fight, but eventually I lost, and they stole all my ingredients and..." His finally gave in and decided to confess. "Okay, okay, I messed up. But don't worry, nothing caught on fire, and I promise I'll try harder next time. So, um..." He offered Kai a pair of chopsticks and a silly grin. "Shall we eat?"

It wasn't much of a meal, but it was better than nothing. Takao seemed to feel better when he sat across from Kai and made short work of his own food, slurping up the noodles noisily and licking his lips in satisfaction when he'd finished. "Good grub, huh?" Kai just gave a non-committal grunt.

"Anyway, now's the part where we just relax and take a break, because hey, we've earned it."

Kai would have been inclined to disagree, but Takao was already ushering him into their designated sitting room.

"Watch TV or something, will you? I'll be back in a sec!"

Unable to even attempt an argument now that Takao had left, the only option Kai had left was to take a seat and wait for Takao to return. Takao didn't keep him long, thankfully, though he nearly sent Kai flying when he dived onto the couch.

"Can't you sit down like a normal person?" he griped, receiving a muffled grunt in response as Takao wriggled insistently against his side, only stopping when Kai reluctantly draped an arm over his shoulders and allowed Takao to make himself more comfortable.

Takao craned his neck, holding up a half-eaten bar of chocolate and saying something that sounded like, "Mmph phhhm mmph?" as he waved it in front of Kai's face.

Kai shook his head and Takao shrugged, reaching out for the remote so that he could start flicking through the channels. Kai wasn't even paying attention when Takao eventually settled on some action movie. He was more occupied with the fact that Takao was currently treating him as his own personal cushion. Kai had seen Takao do the same thing before with Max and Rei, but it was something different altogether to have Takao snuggling with him. Even though they were close, Kai still preferred to keep his distance, uneasy as he was with the idea of physical intimacy, and Takao had always respected that in the past. Now, though, Kai was almost afraid to admit to himself how much he was enjoying having Takao nestled against his front like this. It wasn't threatening or intimidating, just... nice. The steady rise and fall of Takao's back against Kai's chest and the way his head rested snugly on Kai's shoulder felt comfortable, even likeable, and Kai found himself just concentrating on the simple sound of Takao's breathing, matching it unconsciously with his own. The longer they stayed this way, the more things Kai ended up noticing. Takao's scent was one of them, a bizarre mixture of soap and chocolate and soft, sleepy skin, but there were other things, like the way Takao's hair tickled Kai's nose, or the way his knees pressed tightly up against Kai's thighs. It was calm and quiet and peaceful, just like the secret place that only he and Takao knew existed, and Kai closed his eyes, resting his chin on the top of Takao's head and just absorbing the way it felt to be so close to another human being. Surprisingly, Takao didn't respond, or move, or even talk, and it wasn't until Kai nudged him almost half an hour later that he realised Takao had fallen asleep. Kai knew better than anyone how impossible it was to wake Takao once he'd nodded off, and even though the notion made him feel somewhat ridiculous, he found himself slipping off the couch anyway and easing Takao into his arms.

Takao never even stirred when Kai carried him up the stairs and into the room he'd picked out as his own, nor when Kai laid him out on the bed and pulled the covers over him. Kai didn't leave right away for some reason, and he found himself kneeling down beside the bed and just watching Takao as he slept. Takao's breathing was still deep and even, and Kai's gaze seemed drawn to Takao's lips. He could see a small smudge of chocolate at the side of Takao's mouth, and before he even knew what he was doing, he leaned down until their lips were just centimetres apart. It wasn't until Takao's breath suddenly caught in his throat that Kai realised what was happening, and his heart nearly stopped beating altogether when Takao's eyelids began to flutter. "Nn," Takao mumbled drowsily. "No more goat soup..." Then he turned his head away from Kai, snoring faintly.

Kai took the opportunity to back away, still slightly alarmed over his loss of self-control. It was a good thing Takao had remained oblivious; otherwise he wouldn't have had any idea how to explain himself.  
Unfortunately, getting Takao out of his mind wasn't as easy as Kai had hoped, even when he left Takao's room in order to retire to his own. It was barely over an hour since Kai had last seen him, but somehow, he didn't feel at all surprised when a knock at his door made itself heard before Takao stepped inside, clutching a pillow to his chest and looking unsure of himself.

"Is it okay if I stay here for a while?" he asked tentatively.

Kai knew he shouldn't be indulging Takao any more than he had been doing already, but he found no ready argument as to why he shouldn't allow such a thing just this once. Takao was clearly uneasy about his first night in a strange new house, and he'd probably been jumping at shadows ever since he'd woken up to find himself alone.

Even though he felt sure that he'd regret it later on, Kai pulled back the covers in a wordless invitation for Takao to get into bed. The smile of gratitude that Takao gave as he crossed the room was nearly enough to melt away Kai's misgivings, and he caught a whispered word of thanks as Takao settled in beside him. It didn't even take five minutes before Takao's breathing evened out, but Kai had precious little time in which to relax. Takao never slept in anything less than a sprawl, after all, and even though he'd initially fallen asleep on the other side of the mattress, it wasn't long before he began inching over to where Kai lay.

Kai held very still when Takao's arm snaked across his waist and he suddenly had a hard time breathing when Takao snuggled up against his chest, mumbling something incoherent and then falling silent. Kai waited for him to get restless and roll back off, but Takao seemed perfectly content right where he was. Kai's body didn't seem to have any intention of obeying his thoughts at that point, and it almost felt like someone else was guiding his movements by plucking at a set of invisible strings as he slowly raised his own arms and let them close carefully around Takao. He could feel himself trembling, even though he tried his hardest to make it stop. He couldn't remember ever embracing anybody like this before and his arms tightened unconsciously as he hoped against hope that Takao would try pulling himself away.

But Takao didn't move again for the rest of the night.


	6. Six

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (6/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

There were a lot of reasons why Takao found Daitenji so likeable. He wasn't anything like his own grandfather for starters, and he had the sort of kind and jolly attitude that Takao wished every old man would possess. Even though he was Takao's superior, he'd always been indulgent with him by giving Takao enough free reign that he'd never even once considered rebelling or trying anything to make the president's life difficult, at least not on purpose. Even now, Daitenji regarded him the same way one might treat a favourite nephew, smiling fondly as Takao filed into his office along with Kai and Kyoujuu and Hiromi. Takao grinned back at him when the old man gestured for them to get settled, and he sat himself down in the chair opposite Daitenji's desk while the other three made themselves comfortable on a nearby couch.

"Well, Takao-kun," Daitenji began, his eyes twinkling. "I see your trip has been cut short."

"Yeah, I came back earlier than planned," Takao admitted, sneaking a look at Kai before turning his attention back to Daitenji. "What can I say? My life's been pretty hectic lately."

"As the reigning world champion, I think I can understand," said Daitenji. "But that's why we're conducting this meeting today, am I right?"

"You've got it in one, Oji-chan," Takao told him. "I'm here to officially announce my retirement."

"I take it you've thought this through?" Daitenji prompted, his earlier cheerfulness giving way to a more serious expression. "I know how seriously you take your duties and your title, but still, I have to make sure."  
"I know," said Takao, shrugging one shoulder. "But I'm not about to change my mind. Besides, there's something else I want to do from now on, something different."

"And what is that?" asked Daitenji, raising his eyebrows in obvious interest.

"It's something that I'm going to need your help with once again, sir," Takao said, addressing the old man formally for the first time since he'd entered the room, taking in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "I've decided that I'm going to be coaching rather than competing from now on."

"Coaching?" Daitenji repeated, now even more intrigued. "If you'll allow it," Takao amended, giving a slightly sheepish nod. "I know I don't have any formal qualifications, but I *do* have the kind of experience required for the role. The other guys and I have set up unofficial training camps in the past, so I at least have some clue as to how it all works."

"And you're requesting backing from me in order to do this," Daitenji stated shrewdly. "It'd definitely help," Takao said, "but I'm willing to make my own way, if necessary. I just wanted to see what your opinion would be first."

Daitenji didn't respond immediately, and Takao waited on tenterhooks as the old man removed his glasses, bowing his head for a moment and pinching the bridge of his nose. When he looked up again, however, he was beaming, and Takao couldn't help offering a smile of his own in return.

"I think it's an excellent idea," Daitenji said, the sparkle back in his eyes. "It makes me proud to see just how much you've matured since I first met you, Takao-kun."

"Aw, quit it," Takao said, feigning embarrassment. "You're making me blush!"

Daitenji chuckled merrily and then turned his gaze over to Kyoujuu. "I assume you also intend to be a part of this project?"

"That's right," said Kyoujuu. "Even if Takao has the experience and the enthusiasm, he's still going to need a lot of assistance, especially with the technical side of things. Not to worry, though, because that's where I come in."

"And that's why you're the best, Kyoujuu!" Takao exclaimed, jumping out of his seat and dragging Kyoujuu up along with him, forcing the other boy into a headlock and rubbing the top of his head with his fist affectionately. "With your genius IQ behind me, there's no way I can go wrong!"

"Don't forget about me," said Hiromi, pointing to herself. "I'm going to help out too! Even though you have the training and the science part all covered, you'll still need someone to take care of the catering side, and that's where *I* make my grand entrance. There's no way you'll be able to teach your students if they all have empty stomachs!"

"Are you kidding?" Takao snickered. "The poor kids will spend more time puking than practising if *you're* the one making their meals."

The smack that Hiromi dealt him with echoed loudly across the office, making Kyoujuu cringe on Takao's behalf, while Kai just sighed wearily. "Now, now, settle down," Daitenji urged, holding up his hands in a placating fashion as Hiromi stalked back to her seat and Takao rubbed his right cheek miserably. "I'm sure you'll all perform your designated tasks in an admirable fashion."

Takao muttered something that sounded like 'yeah, right' under his breath, but Hiromi cracked her knuckles threateningly, and he didn't dare repeat what he'd said in a more audible voice. Before he could do anything else, though, the office door flung open, and a very out of breath Max bounced inside.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" he said brightly, turning to Takao and flashing him the victory sign. "I just got off the phone with Mama, and she's offered to help out with anything that you need. The next tournament is still a way off, so she has tons of time to spare. I even spoke to Daddy, and he's going to pitch in too. Isn't that great?"

He laughed happily as Takao tackled him in his gratitude, and the two of them wrestled briefly before breaking apart.

"Thanks Max," Takao said, grinning broadly. "This really means a lot to me. I mean that."

"I know you do," Max said, winking. "And now you have most of your bases covered! Well, except for one more thing - we still haven't figured out where we're going to get our funding from."

"Oh, I think you'll find that's already been taken care of," Daitenji told him, casting a glance at the one person who had yet to say anything. "He made a rather generous contribution, too. Isn't that right, Kai-kun?"  
"Well, what do you know?" Hiromi said, amused. "I guess Mr Cranky Pants has a heart after all!"

"That's our Kai!" Max said proudly. "Underneath his scary scowl, he really is a genuine nice guy!"

"It certainly was kind of him to help," agreed Kyoujuu. "We probably wouldn't have gotten far otherwise."

Takao threw himself at Kai with a force that almost bowled him over as he said, "That's it. I take back every bad thing I've ever said about you. You're the most amazing, the most brilliant and the most *awesome* guy in the entire world. Seriously, Kai, you really are something."

Kai smirked and pushed Takao away firmly, and just in time. Takao was already starting to sniffle.

"There he goes again," Hiromi sighed, taking out a tissue and pressing it into Takao's hand. "You're more emotional than any woman, I swear."

"I can't do anything about that," Takao protested, blowing his nose loudly and making Hiromi wince. "I'm just so happy! If only Rei were here, too, then everything would be perfect!"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing him again sooner than you think," Hiromi said, smiling serenely with the air of one possessing a great piece of hidden knowledge, but she refused to elaborate when Takao began pestering her for further details. "Well, now that we've managed to set things into motion, I think it would be wise to schedule a press conference announcing your retirement," said Daitenji, speaking louder than he usually might so that he could make himself heard over Takao and Hiromi's bickering. "I assume you've already written out your speech?"

"Actually, I figured I'd just wing it," Takao said, making Kyoujuu drop his head in his hands with a sigh. "It's not like I'm going to say anything stupid, after all. I'm good with public announcements!"

"You *stink* at public announcements," Hiromi told him cuttingly. "Just let Kyoujuu write your lines. That way you won't end up making a fool of yourself."

In the end, Daitenji agreed to make the announcement, leaving Takao to deal with the reporters. Kyoujuu had approved of this particular plan wholeheartedly, although Takao had been a little put out, but he soon recovered when the questions began pouring in.

"What are your plans for the future, Kinomiya-kun?" came the first one. "Do you intend to quit the sport altogether?"

"Not at all!" Takao enthused. "It'll take a while to get things up and running, but Daitenji-kaichou has offered to help set up an official training project on behalf of the Beyblading Association."  
"So you're going into coaching?" was the second question, and Takao flashed a dazzling smile.

"That's right!" he said. "I'll take the rookies of today and shape them into the champions of tomorrow! You can quote me on that, too."

"What about your former teammates? Will they be participating in this new scheme?"

"Some of them are," Takao replied. "Kyoujuu and Max will be, at least until the next tournament rolls round."

"And what about the others? Kon Rei and Hiwatari Kai were once a part of your team too, am I right? And the newcomer, Sumeragi Daichi?"

"Oh, Kai is the one who's funding the project," Takao explained, smiling genuinely now instead of just turning on his charm for the cameras. "He's always been more of a backstage guy when it comes to stuff like this."

One of the nearby reporters waved her notebook in order to gain his attention and said, "Kinomiya-kun, is it true that you and Hiwatari-kun are now living together?"

Takao blinked at the sudden change in topic, then recovered quickly and said, "Yeah, it's true. But I really don't see what that has to do with-"

"Kinomiya-kun!" one of the other reporters called, interrupting him before he could complete his sentence. "What's your real relationship with Hiwatari Kai?"

"My real relationship?" Takao echoed blankly, not noticing the way Daitenji had begun to frown in concern at the way things were progressing. "Well, um... we're friends and we're close-"

"How close, exactly? Many people have speculated about a secret romance between the two of you, but are you actually involved?"

"Are you willing to give us any further details?"

"Are you willing to verify the rumours?"

"Are you-"

"That will be quite enough!" Daitenji said loudly, silencing the barrage of questions with a wave of his hand. "Takao-kun is not here to discuss his personal life, he's here to answer your queries on his professional career, and I will not allow any further disregard for his privacy. Please return to the subject at hand."

A few murmurs of disappointment were heard, but they were soon followed up with what Daitenji clearly considered to be more appropriate questions. Takao was slightly subdued, however, and his earlier enthusiasm seemed to have dimmed, leading Daitenji to call an early end to the conference before guiding Takao away.

"Are you all right?" he asked, placing a hand on Takao's shoulder. "Would you like some water?"

"Oh, no, I'm good," Takao said, shrugging himself off and giving the older man the thumbs-up sign. "Thanks for looking out for me before everything could start getting all weird and stuff. I forgot how nosy those guys can be sometimes."

"You and me both, boy," said Daitenji, taking out a handkerchief and dabbing it over his forehead. "At least we managed to give out the most important information, though."  
"Yup!" Takao said brightly. "It ought to spark even more interest in the game from now on!"

"Well, they do say all publicity is good publicity," Daitenji told him. "I suppose we'll just have to see how it all turns out. Are you okay to make your own way back, or should I arrange some transportation for you?"  
"Nope, I don't need anything," Takao said cheerfully. "But thanks again, Oji-chan."

"I'll be in touch," Daitenji promised. "Take care of yourself!"

Takao's good mood didn't last long, unfortunately. Kyoujuu turned up the morning after, looking very solemn indeed, as Takao ushered him inside.

"Why so glum?" he asked, smacking his friend on the back. "You re acting like somebody just died!" Then his eyes widened and he smacked himself instead. "Okay, forget I said that, and *please* tell me that everyone we know and care about is still alive."

"No, that isn't what's worrying me right now," said Kyoujuu, gesturing for Takao to sit down next to him on the couch. "I came across this today, and I thought you should see it." He passed the newspaper that he'd had tucked under his arm over to Takao and watched him nervously. "I'll warn you in advance, though. I don't think you're going to like any of what it says."

"Is it really that harsh?" Takao said, flipping through it with curiosity.

"Just take a look at page seven," Kyoujuu advised. "It starts off bad and only gets worse."

Takao raised an eyebrow in bewilderment as he did as Kyoujuu told him, not knowing for sure what to expect. Daitenji had warned him about the potential backlash he could be facing after his announcement, especially after he'd received mostly positive publicity so far. Takao didn't think there would be anything for him to worry about too much, but judging by Kyoujuu's expression, he probably wasn't going to be happy about whatever had been printed. Kinomiya Takao, three-times reigning world Beyblade champion, has announced his retirement from the sport. Kinomiya also unveiled plans for a brand new coaching scheme at yesterday's press conference, which has been given full backing from Kinomiya's former mentor, President Daitenji. Considered by many to be the number one authority on the sport, Daitenji first spotted Kinomiya's potential three years previously, and, along with the remaining finalists of the 2001 nationals, Mizuhara Max, Kon Rei and Hiwatari Kai, formed the BBA team to represent Japan in the world championship competition. After two consecutive wins, team BBA faced a controversial split in 2003, where Mizuhara transferred over to the PPB All Stars, Kon became a reinstated member of team Baifuzu, and Hiwatari joined the ranks of Neo Borg. Not to be left out of the action, the BBA changed its name to BBA Revolution and recruited newcomer, Sumeragi Daichi, to partner Kinomiya, which led to a stunning victory for the pair in the tag-team world finals. Shortly after, the original BBA members reformed in order to create BBA G-Revolution, and, with the addition of Sumeragi, went on to defeat BEGA and the Justice Five team. Whether the remaining members will continue to compete without Kinomiya is yet to be confirmed, but even after bowing from the spotlight, Kinomiya has proven that he still possesses a knack for attracting speculation. The relationship between Kinomiya and Hiwatari has often been rumoured to one of lovers, but Kinomiya refused to give anything away when pressed for further information.

"We're friends and we're close," he said, before changing the subject.

However, Kinomiya did ascertain the fact that he and Hiwatari are now living together, a fact that only serves to add fuel to the fire where rumours are concerned. Many believe that Hiwatari is merely toying with Kinomiya's affections, and he's certainly had trouble proving his loyalty in the past. Still Kinomiya's devotion remains strong, in spite of Hiwatari's repeated betrayal, and it's his desire to stick by Hiwatari no matter what that suggests there's more to Kinomiya's retirement than meets the eye.

Ruthless and ambitious, Hiwatari has never been the type to play by anyone's rules but his own, a trait he seems to share with his grandfather, Souichiro, of the world-famous Hiwatari Enterprises.  
"It doesn't surprise me to see that Souichiro's grandson has a disturbing amount of control over the poor Kinomiya kid," confessed one former employee, who refused to be named. "That family is nothing but bad blood, and rotten to the core."

It's true that Hiwatari Kai hasn't had the most conventional upbringing. His parents died when he was young and, rather than raising the child in their stead, Hiwatari Senior enrolled him into a brutal training institution under the supervision of BEGA founder, Bolkov. After being forced with such shocking conditions, it really is no wonder that Hiwatari grew up to be considered by many as 'mentally unbalanced'. "He really would do anything for a shot at the title," claimed one anonymous source. "Hiwatari Kai doesn't care about anyone but himself."

That was as far as Takao could read, and Kyoujuu stared in sympathy when Takao bit down hard on his lower lip, his hands shaking with anger. "It goes on to say some even nastier stuff," Kyoujuu admitted quietly. "Listen, it's really just a stupid tabloid, and it's not like most of what they're saying is correct..."

"They don't know anything," Takao said tightly, speaking through clenched teeth. "They don't know a damn thing. How *dare* they print this garbage? How *dare* they try and blacken Kai's name?"

"I understand how you feel," Kyoujuu said hastily, "but there's really no point in getting all worked up about it. *We* know the truth, and that's all that matters."

"Are all the papers saying stuff like this?" asked Takao, still glaring.

"No, not all of them," Kyoujuu assured him. "Ignore it, it's just gossip. It'll go away eventually."

"That's not the point!" Takao said sharply. "It's all totally unfair!"

"I know it's unfair, but there's nothing you can do!" Kyoujuu said, laying a hand carefully on Takao's forearm and feeling for himself how tense it was. "Please calm down. Like I told you before, it'll go away at some point. You ought to see the things that get printed about Max. He gets linked with a different girl every week!" Then he frowned. "Okay, so admittedly Max himself is the one who starts those rumours, mostly because he thinks of them as funny, but-"

"This isn't the same!" Takao protested hotly. "There's a difference between dishing out some made-up story and dragging someone's reputation through the mud! It's really hurtful to Kai!"

"If I know Kai, I'd say he probably doesn't care about it in the least," Kyoujuu told him, but although he'd meant to soothe Takao, it seemed as though his attempts had completely backfired.

"It's still not fair!" Takao said, pushing Kyoujuu's hand away roughly. "Maybe he doesn't care, but *I* sure do. Just because Kai's made some dumb decisions in the past doesn't mean he has no feelings! He's not heartless!"

"I *know*!" Kyoujuu said quickly. "I'm just warning you not to do anything irrational while you're still angry. You don't want to jeopardise everything that Daitenji-kaichou has managed to do for you so far!"

"Oh, so you're taking their side, are you?" Takao said, getting to his feet and advancing on Kyoujuu aggressively. "Do you agree with what they're saying? Do you really think it's Kai's fault that I'm no longer competing?"

"I'm not saying that at all!" Kyoujuu shouted, backing away in alarm. "I'm just telling you to cool your head before you end up doing something you'll regret!"

Takao looked as though he wanted to go on but Kai had already walked into the room in order to locate the source of the argument, and he frowned when he saw the way Takao's face had set itself into a stubborn scowl.

"Whatever's bothering you, just let it go, Kinomiya," he said calmly. "Stop taking your frustration out on someone who doesn't deserve it."

Takao threw the paper aside and stormed out, brushing past Kai roughly on his way past and not even bothering to apologise. Kai raised an eyebrow at Kyoujuu who merely sighed and pointed wordlessly to the offending article. Kai picked it up and skimmed it, then passed it back to Kyoujuu with a derisive snort. "So now you know why he's mad," said Kyoujuu, giving a helpless sort of shrug.

"He has a nasty temper when provoked," Kai said, not ruffled in the slightest over what had just happened. "Don't worry. He'll be fine once he's finished sulking."

"I suppose," Kyoujuu replied, looking dubious. "He seemed pretty upset about it. I haven't seen him that defensive in a while, and it was all on your behalf, not his." He folded the paper neatly and placed it on a nearby table. "I guess he's always been protective of you. I think it hurts him more than it hurts you whenever he sees something cruel like this."

"I don't give a damn about other people think," Kai said archly.

"Takao does, though," Kyoujuu said sadly. "He may not be the most level-headed person around, but at least his emotions are genuine. It frustrates him when he doesn't get back the same kind of honesty that he gives out."

Kai stared for a moment and then turned his back resolutely. "Go home. I'll take care of things from here," he ordered.

"Well, good luck," said Kyoujuu, managing a smile. "Just give me a call if you need any help."

Kai nodded, but he had no intention of doing anything of the sort. Predictably, he found Takao inside his bedroom, sitting with a frown carved over his brow and his arms crossed over his chest in a pose that Kai found distinctly reminiscent of the one that he himself usually tended to favour. Takao opened his eyes just long enough to watch as Kai opened the door and then closed them again, keeping up the pretence of being uninterested even as Kai walked over to the bed and sat down on it. Knowing that Takao was expecting him to start prying or admonishing, Kai simply stretched out onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, mimicking Takao's dismissive posture with one of his own. It wouldn't be much longer before Takao finally cracked and began ranting about what was on his mind, but for now, Kai continued to observe him.  
Kai had meant what he'd told Kyoujuu earlier. He really didn't care about what people thought of him. If he did, he would have had a lot more trouble going about his everyday life. As Kyoujuu had pointed out, however, Takao was different. He'd changed a lot, too. He'd become much more self-conscious and aware of his actions lately, and even though the very idea would have been preposterous just a couple of years ago, he'd actually grown quieter and more mature.

It wasn't unreasonable and it wasn't unexpected. Takao wasn't a child anymore; he was a young adult trying desperately to feel comfortable in his own skin. Ever since he'd first made his appearance into the public eye, he'd had to learn to cope with being under pressure. Sometimes he did it admirably and sometimes... not so admirably. "Don't think I've gotten over this just yet," Takao warned finally, uncrossing his arms and frowning down at Kai.

"I never said you had," Kai replied, folding his arms underneath his head and turning his gaze onto the ceiling. "I just think that what you're doing is a total waste of time. You have more important things to worry about than an article that most other people will have forgotten in another couple of days."

"How can you say stuff like that?" Takao asked disbelievingly. "Why doesn't it make you angry?"

"Because I honestly don't care," Kai said simply. "People can say whatever they want. It's no concern of mine."

"It is for me," Takao insisted. "They think they're so clever, and that they've got it all figured it. Well, so much for *them*."

"And you?" Kai prompted, making Takao blink in surprise. "Have *you* got me all figured out?"

Takao couldn't seem to find an answer right away, but then a look of determination crossed over his face. "Okay, so maybe I haven't," he said, sounding surprisingly reasonable all of a sudden. "And even though I know you better than most, there's still more I want to learn. I want to know *everything* so that I can understand you even better. I want you to tell me about yourself, even if it's stupid, or embarrassing, or even painful." Then he lowered his gaze and added in a soft voice, "You'll at least allow me that much, won't you?"

Kai didn't say anything for a moment, but just when Takao looked as though he was beginning to regret what he'd requested, Kai opened his mouth to speak. "If you're going to ask something personal, Kinomiya, it's only fair for you to give up information of your own in return," he said evenly.

Takao's surprise gave way to a smile, and he flopped down onto his stomach beside Kai, propping his chin on his hands and pursing his lips thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense," he said. "I learn something, you learn something, right?" He paused for a little while longer and said, "Okay then, here comes random fact number one: my favourite flowers are freesias! Kaa-chan liked them, so I like them, too."  
"For no reason other than that?" said Kai.

"Well... they're pretty and stuff," Takao said shrugging, "but really, there's no other reason why I like them. Kaa-chan died when I was young, so I don't remember her that well. Jii-chan told me that she really loved freesias when she was alive, though, and we've been growing them outside the dojo ever since. Maybe it's dumb, but it makes me feel closer to her somehow, even though she's not around anymore. If I can love at least one of the same things she used to, then it's like she isn't gone completely."

"I don't remember my parents well either," Kai confessed, haltingly. "How'd they die?" Takao asked.

"It was a car crash," Kai told him shortly. "I survived. They didn't. My grandfather decided that he didn't need the hassle of child rearing and sent me off to Russia to train with Bolkov. I stayed there for nearly four years before coming back to Japan."

"Four *years*?" Takao repeated, his eyes widening. "Jeez, Kai, how did you even survive?"

"I was never mistreated or neglected, if that's what you mean," said Kai, indifferently. "I was Hiwatari Souichiro's only grandson and Bolkov's star pupil. As long as I got the results they wanted, they never gave me too much grief."

"So they didn't do anything bad to you, right?" Takao hazarded. "Other than the torture training, I mean. Bolkov is a nasty piece of work, but he never... hit you, did he?"

"No, he never needed to," Kai said, smirking darkly. "He always preferred mind games over violence. Why waste your energy when you can guide potential victims to their own destruction instead?" Takao's eyes were glistening slightly, and his face was full of sadness as he stared down at Kai. "I really wish you hadn't had to go through any of those things," he said quietly. "Forget about it," Kai said flatly. "It's all in the past. It doesn't matter anymore."

"But you're happy now, right?" Takao said anxiously. "I'm better," Kai said, and left it at that. "Anyway, it's your turn again."

Takao didn't seem particularly eager to divulge any further information about himself just yet, however, and Kai was starting to feel uncomfortable with the way Takao was looking at him. The concern still lingered in his eyes, even though Kai had told him to put it to the back of his mind.

Then again, he supposed he really shouldn't be surprised. Takao always seemed to be involving himself with other people's problems, not because he was nosy or interfering, but because he genuinely cared. Takao was the type of guy who'd drop everything at a moment's notice in order to help out whoever he considered to be a friend. He was the type of person who could make the impossible into the possible, simply by sheer force of will. He was easily the most loyal, the most dedicated and the most determined person Kai had ever known, and it was those qualities above all others that made Takao so very special. "How can you be so strong?" Takao whispered, causing Kai to widen his eyes in astonishment. He'd just been wondering the exact same question himself about Takao, but he didn't dare admit that out loud.

"It's because I like to visit that thing they call the gym," he said finally, opting for sarcasm over honesty. "It's a place that only seems to exist in your nightmares, Kinomiya."

Takao burst out laughing, and the sudden tension that had crept into the room disappeared abruptly. "I wasn't talking about your muscles," he said, rolling his eyes. "Though I'll admit they *are* pretty impressive. And hey, you'd have nightmares too after all those evil training programmes that Kyoujuu likes to invent!"

"You're changing the subject," Kai informed him. "Or are you too embarrassed to go on?"

"Actually, random fact number two *is* pretty embarrassing," Takao said, looking shifty. "But if you really must know, Daichi was my first kiss." He waved a hand frantically when he saw Kai's expression and added, "Sheesh, don't look at me that way! It's not like we kissed on *purpose*, and anyway, it was really gross!"

"Kissing someone of the same sex disgusts you?" asked Kai, his tone purposely neutral.

"Kissing *Daichi* disgusts me," Takao said, shuddering. "The little brat doesn't even brush his teeth as often as he should. First kisses are supposed to be memorable, and after something like that, I can see why people say it. I just wish it could have been with someone better, you know?"

Kai remained silent. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a small stab of irrational jealousy at the idea of Takao wanting to kiss other people. Although Takao seemed to get along well with just about everybody, he'd never once shown specific interest in any one person romantically before, and Kai had assumed that things would always stay that way. Now he felt like a fool for even thinking it, and Takao was quick to notice his change in demeanour.

"What's wrong?" he queried, the concern sliding back into his voice. "Did you have a bad first kiss too?"

Kai felt even more foolish then, as he turned his head away to the side and closed his eyes, unable to even look at Takao anymore. "I haven't had any kiss yet, good or bad," he said gruffly, trying not to cringe at the shocked silence that followed his confession. "Seriously?" Takao said incredulously. "You've never been kissed before? But... but... well, you're *you*! You're smart and strong and handsome and... and... there are probably *tons* of people out there who'd want to be kissed by you!"

"Maybe I don't care about those 'tons of people'," Kai said, loathing himself for getting the words out like he was. "Why would I bother with them when there's only one person out of five billion who's even worth my time?"

Another silence broke out between them, but this one was far worse. It seemed to stretch out for an eternity as Kai fought the urge to grab one of the pillows and suffocate himself with it, just so that he could put an end to his misery. He was so sure Takao would hate him or laugh at him or lose all the respect he'd ever had for him that it came as something of a shock when Takao's hand pressed against his cheek, making him open his eyes again, in spite of the dread that had lodged itself into his stomach. Takao's eyes were as warm as ever as he stroked Kai's face, although his cheeks turned faintly pink when Kai turned to stare up at him. Kai could only lie there wordlessly as Takao's fingers trembled when they drifted up to trace over the rest of his features, caressing his face with an agonising tenderness that made Kai's heart thump wildly. Then Takao's fingertips settled lightly over his lips, and Kai thought his heart was going to burst right out of his chest.

It was frightening and powerful, and Kai's whole body seemed to ache with anticipation as Takao removed his fingers, his limbs as heavy as lead, his breathing shallow and almost painful. He watched through half-lidded eyes as Takao's tongue darted out to moisten his mouth and then mirrored the movement unconsciously, wetting his own lips and parting them ever so slightly. Takao hesitated before leaning down little by little, bringing his mouth closer and closer to Kai's until there was hardly anything to separate them anymore. Kai closed his eyes the rest of the way and shivered as Takao's lips ghosted over his in the barest touch, backing away just the tiniest bit and then moving in again to press more firmly, but before their mouths could make the inevitable contact, a loud chiming sound wrenched them apart violently, as the grandfather clock outside in the hallway struck the time.

The spell broken completely, Takao jerked backwards, his whole face flushing furiously as he pushed himself as far away from Kai as possible without falling off the bed completely. "S-sorry about that," he stuttered, getting to his feet. "I should probably go make a start on dinner or something."

Kai reached before he could leave. "No, don't-" he began, but Takao had already fled, slamming the door shut loudly behind him and leaving Kai to slump back against the pillows as he wondered just how he was going to handle *this* particular development.


	7. Seven

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (7/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

It had been a long time since Kai had felt so frustrated and annoyed about something, and it was all thanks to the almost-kiss that he'd shared with Takao. Since then Takao had been avoiding him, at least as much as he was able to, given that they lived together. Kai was tired of Takao acting like a skittish animal, or like he was terrified that Kai would suddenly sprout fangs and start spitting poison at him. Worse still, he seemed to be trying his hardest to pretend that nothing had ever happened between them. They'd been growing closer only to be forced apart again by something that Takao clearly considered to be a mistake. It felt as though they'd taken one step forward and two steps back.

Kai needed time to think with a way to deal with this situation, and so he'd left the house that afternoon, without telling Takao. It had been something of a relief when he'd reached a familiar secluded spot to find that there was still someone who didn't shy away from him, and a tiny smile curved his lips as he bent down to stroke the cat that had been winding itself around his ankles. She mewed happily at the attention, and Kai fussed over her for a moment more before turning his attention to the kittens.

They were bigger and heavier than they had been the last time Kai had seen them, and he picked up each one in turn, checking them over for any sign of injury or illness. Once he was satisfied that they were all healthy and well, he began unpacking the small paper bag he'd brought with him and set out food for the little family in front of them, leaning back against one of the nearby trees when he'd finished so that he could watch them eat. The mother cat jumped into his lap soon after, making him wince as she got herself comfortable by padding at his thighs in typical feline fashion and flexing her claws before she finally chose to curl up, purring contentedly when Kai rubbed behind her ears. The repetitive movement was as soothing for him as it was for the cat, and he allowed himself to close his eyes and just relax for a while.  
It didn't take long for Takao to start creeping into his thoughts, however, and Kai opened his eyes again, staring up at the slowly setting sun and trying not to compare the fading light and warmth to the recent downturn in his and Takao's relationship. He hated feeling so confused about what was happening, and even though he'd never admit it, he also felt hurt at the way Takao seemed to be withdrawing from him.

Kai had always been so sure that Takao's feelings for him were as strong as the ones he had for Takao. They understood each other so well, after all, and they'd never needed words to express whatever it was that they shared. Takao was important to him, more so than anybody else. In the past, Kai had always shunned people by choice, but the last thing he wanted now was to be alone again, not when he'd found the one person who meant so much to him. He'd meant what he'd told Takao before, about him being his one in five billion, and he wasn't about to take it back. Even if he'd been embarrassed by revealing something so deeply personal, he'd felt no shame in saying it. Although Kai still had a hard time articulating and acknowledging his true feelings sometimes, he knew for a fact that there was nothing shameful about wanting to be with Takao.

Kai admired and respected Takao above all others and, more importantly, he *trusted* him. He couldn't be like Takao, so he'd focused all of his energy into defeating him, but even that had proved impossible in the end. Ordinarily, Kai would never have been able to stand the idea of someone being stronger than he was, but it was different with Takao. Losing to Takao never made Kai feel angry or weak but gave him a strange sense of satisfaction to know that even though he'd lost, he was still the only opponent who could truly give Takao a run for his money. It went deeper than just being rivals, however; they were *equals*, and Kai knew Takao was just as worthy of him as he was of Takao. They fought with the same honour and the same passion and the same dedication that made a battle with anybody else pale in comparison, and Kai needed all of those things just as badly as he needed Takao himself. All that had been achingly familiar, but now they were stepping into unknown territory, and Kai didn't have a clue how to deal with it. Takao obviously had no idea how to handle the change between them either, because he'd ended up running away again. Kai didn't know what Takao was thinking or feeling right now, or if he was regretting the kiss they'd almost shared.

The only regret Kai had was that they'd never got the chance to complete it. He'd wanted that kiss more than anything, and nothing was more painful than having something he desired being torn away out of his reach. This new step hadn't been an unwanted one, at least not to Kai. Like everything he shared with Takao, it felt completely natural, but more importantly, it felt *right*, and he didn't want to deny any of the emotions that he held for Takao. Kai never lied, not to himself, and not to anybody else. He'd never enjoyed wasting his time with pettiness or trivialities, and he'd always preferred to get straight to the point. Naturally aggressive and confrontational, he tended to make everything into a competition. That was why he felt so out of his depth trying to pick up his cue from Takao. He wasn't used to letting other people take charge, or following someone else's lead, and it was yet another thing that added to his earlier frustration. Would things have turned out differently if he'd been the one to kiss Takao instead of it being the other way around? He'd been willing to let Takao have that momentary control, but instead of using the situation to his advantage the way he would have done, Takao had simply thrown away the opportunity, and that wasn't like him at all.

It made Kai wonder if he'd done something wrong. He didn't know if the idea of assuming control had frightened Takao off, or if he'd just had second thoughts about moving their relationship to a different level. Kai could understand how easy it would be to leave things as they were and stay in the safety of friendship, but he was prepared to take the risk that came along with wanting something more from Takao. Kai was honest enough to admit that Takao's strength and courage and devotion weren't the only things he found appealing, nor was it merely a case of knowing Takao was probably the only person on earth who would never fail him or let him down. He was a teenage boy with teenage hormones, and he wasn't about to pretend that he didn't find Takao sexually attractive. The idea of pursuing such intimacy with Takao frightened Kai almost as much as it excited him, but it was still something that he wanted. Whether or not Takao wanted the same thing had yet to be proven, and that was the part Kai found himself stuck with.

Even so, Kai was hesitant to push for too much. If, for whatever reason, Takao decided that he wasn't attracted to Kai the way Kai was attracted to him, then that would be okay. It would hurt to live with unrequited emotions, but he was willing to accept whatever he could get. Takao meant too much for him to lose, after all, and the last thing Kai needed was for him to slip out of his life once again. But still, there was that tiny voice at the back of his head that urged him to put it all on the line and gamble everything, even though Kai refused to believe in chance or luck. Fate had brought Takao to him, and even though it could have taken him away again so easily, Takao continued to remain by his side, no matter what Kai had said or done or put him through, and Kai owed him everything because of that. Takao had saved him time and time again, and he hadn't demanded a single thing in return. Even so, it wasn't like he hadn't *received* anything in return. Kai would have gone through hell for Takao's sake, had *been* through hell for his sake, and still there was so much more that he was willing to give.

It was more than just repaying the debt he owed, it was a fierce yearning to somehow do the same things for Takao that Takao had done for him. Takao had handed him a lifeline, and the two of them had been tied together by it ever since. They could leave that bond as it was, or choose to tighten it and make it stronger, and if Takao felt inclined to return even half of what Kai felt for him, he'd never ask for anything again in his life. The only problem was finding a way to express those feelings and, intelligent as Kai was, he didn't have a clue how to turn them into words with real meaning, and the solution only struck him when a small meow caught his attention. He'd been so lost in thought that he'd forgotten to keep petting the mother cat, and she nudged at his hand with her nose until he got the message and resumed stroking her. She responded to him instantly with another mew and then went back to her purring, and that was when Kai suddenly remembered the way Takao had acted the night they'd first moved in to the mansion. He'd sought Kai's attention in much the same manner as the cat had done, wriggling against Kai's side on the couch until Kai had given Takao what he'd wanted by putting an arm around him and allowing him to get even closer.

Takao had always been tactile, this much Kai knew. It was like he needed to touch people just as much as he needed to be near them. Even something as simple as a handshake or a high-five meant a lot to Takao, and it made Kai feel somewhat guilty to think of how many times he'd rejected that initiated contact in the past. It wasn't just those little rejections, either. They'd known each other for over three years now, and Kai continued to address Takao by his family name, rather than his given one. It was more out of habit than anything else, but it was still one of the obstacles that stood between them. They weren't strangers or classmates or co-workers, so there was really no reason at all for something that would have seemed like reservation with anybody else. Then again, Takao would probably wonder if Kai had been hit over the head with a blunt object if he suddenly started calling him by name for no apparent reason, and as much as Kai respected Takao, he'd never really been the sharpest tool in the box. It was too much to hope that Takao might take a hint. He'd have to spell it out for him, or better yet, *show* him. Feeling better than he had done since Takao had pulled his vanishing act, Kai gently lifted the mother cat and set her down on the ground, stepping back as her three kittens immediately crowded round her. He'd been gone long enough, anyway, and he didn't need to find the time in order to know how late it must be. He gave the mother cat one last pat on the head and then left, throwing his scarf out behind him, and making his way back home. None of the lights were on when he arrived, however, and Kai wondered if Takao had decided to go out, too. It didn't make sense for him to wander about at this hour, but then again, Kai had been absent for a long time.

It wouldn't be surprising if Takao had gotten lonely and taken off to spend some time with his friends or his grandfather and, in addition to feeling guilty for having left Takao alone for so long, it also made Kai feel like something else was missing. He'd gotten so used to being greeted warmly by Takao whenever he'd been out that it seemed wrong to return to such emptiness now. Heart sinking a little, Kai locked up behind him, checking the table in the hallway in case Takao had decided to leave a note for him, but he found nothing. Then Kai remembered how he'd left earlier without letting Takao know. It wasn't like Takao to be vindictive or spiteful, but he did have a tendency to let his temper get the better of him. If he'd gotten angry and gone off in a huff somewhere, the last thing he'd have thought to do would be to leave an explanation behind. Still, Kai couldn't help being vaguely anxious. Takao might have gotten into trouble of some sort. He certainly seemed to have a talent for attracting it, but, unlike Takao, Kai didn't go jumping to conclusions. The most sensible thing to do would be to call the Kinomiya dojo first, then each of their friends afterwards and, if Kai hadn't managed to locate him by those means, that would be the time to start worrying. For some reason, though, the phone wasn't where it should have been, and Kai drummed his fingers against his thigh in irritation. Takao could have carried it off and then just left it in some random spot, making it impossible to find without a search. Ever logical, Kai checked the most obvious places, including the sitting room and the kitchen, two of Takao's favourite hangouts.

After that he went upstairs to check his bedroom and then, finally, he walked down the hallway and stopped outside Takao's. When he opened the door to look inside, the last thing he'd expected to find was Takao himself, but there he was, curled up on his side and clutching the very thing Kai had been looking for loosely in his right hand. The lamp was on its lowest setting, probably because Takao had been unable to bring himself to turn it off all the way, not while he was still alone in such a huge house, and Kai let the dim light guide him as he walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it. Takao was sleeping soundly, and Kai just watched him for a while, relieved to see that he was safe and unhurt. The green pyjamas that he always wore for bed were slightly rumpled, which suggested that Takao's slumber hadn't been entirely peaceful, and Kai reached out to smooth his bangs away from his face, letting his palm rest briefly against Takao's forehead before drawing it away again. He saw that Takao's hair had slipped free from its usual ponytail, the long, black locks spilling over the white pillow under his head, the two colours making a striking contrast. Just when Kai reached out to touch it, however, Takao stirred and opened his eyes, looking confused until he caught sight of Kai, then he became more alert. "It's about time," he said drowsily, pushing himself up. "I've been worried. I was afraid someone might call to say there'd been an accident, but you seem pretty okay to me."

He yawned quietly, not seeming to mind that Kai had yet to response and not seeming to notice that Kai was too busy staring at him to say anything coherent.

Kai felt something jerk in his stomach when Takao lifted his head to look at him, his eyes shining with a sleepy sort of concern. Kai had never realised until now just how much he loved those eyes, and he gazed into them wordlessly, basking in their warmth. Those same eyes had offered him forgiveness, acceptance and salvation so many times before, and now, as they had so often been before, they were fixed on him and only him. Takao's hair hung loose over his shoulders, longer than Kai remembered it, and giving him a soft and slightly vulnerable edge. Again, Kai's fingers twitched with the urge to run through it, and this time Takao caught on to the fact that something wasn't quite right. "Kai? Are you okay?"

Kai moved his gaze back to Takao's, drawing in a deep breath as he decided that now was the time. He would be articulate and precise, and he'd say what he had to confess without leaving any room for misinterpretation, but when he opened his mouth to speak, the only words that came out were, "God, you're beautiful."

Takao turned a very interesting shade of red when he heard that, and although he tried to keep his voice light-hearted and teasing, he couldn't hide the fact that he was flustered. "This probably sounds like a stupid question, but have you been sniffing some of my cleaning products?" he asked carefully. "You're acting kind of weird."

Kai bit his lip, furious with himself for allowing this turn of events to happen. "Dammit, Kinomiya, cut me some slack," he said, feeling even worse when Takao heard the irritation in his voice and reacted to it as he pulled away slightly, his expression one of hurt. Kai grabbed his wrist on impulse, closing his fingers around it tightly and causing Takao to freeze up instantly. Unable to express what he wanted to with words, Kai gentled his touch, rubbing his thumb over fragile skin and feeling Takao's pulse beating steadily under it, showing Takao that he wasn't trying to be threatening. Takao stared down at their hands, seemingly entranced by the tiny caress, and allowing Kai to take advantage of his temporarily lulled state. "I want to talk," he said quietly. "About this. About *us*. You'll at least allow me that much, won't you?"

He was repeating the same thing Takao had asked of him, word for word, and Takao had realised it too, judging by the look on his face, but now that Kai had his complete attention, it just made getting out what he wanted to say harder than ever. In theory, it should have been the easiest thing in the world to tell Takao what he was asking for. It should have been simple to say 'I need you,' or, 'I'm attracted to you,' or even, 'I'm in love with you,' but his voice seemed to have deserted him somewhere along the way. "Kinomiya, I want to thank you," he said finally, sounding choked and raspy, even to his own ears. "For everything you've done for me and given to me. I probably wouldn't be here today, if it hadn't been for you. I owe you my life, just like I owe you my gratitude... so thank you." "Why are you saying this?" Takao whispered. "You're not leaving again, are you? Are you leaving because of me? I did something bad, didn't I? You don't want to be around me anymore because of what I almost did to you, right? If that's the case, then I really am sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. It's all my fault, I know, so please don't go. I don't think I could stand it if you did."

"What makes you think I'm leaving?" asked Kai, somewhat baffled by Takao's response.

"Because you're thanking me for something that you've never thanked me for before!" Takao said, his tone rushed and furious. "People only ever say these kinds of things when they're about to leave, and I hate that! Even if you're mad at me, I still don't want you to go. I like it when you're around, and I like it when we get to do stuff together, even if it's something boring like chores or grocery shopping or training! I know it sounds selfish, but I just want to be with you!" Then he hung his head and added brokenly, "Or am I not allowed to do that?"

Kai closed his eyes briefly and then said, "Kinomiya, do you remember when I fought Brooklyn?"

Takao looked up again, surprised by Kai's seemingly random question. "Of course I do," he replied hoarsely. "How could I ever forget?"

"And do you remember what I told him just before I won the match?" Kai prompted.

The confusion was swept away after that, and Takao's smile was strained but proud when he murmured, "I remember. You said, 'This is my love'. Then you kicked his ass big time."

"Before that battle, I learned how impossible it is to rise above something if you're blinded by your own hatred," Kai explained. "I didn't want to acknowledge Brooklyn's abilities or his existence, but instead of letting my desire for revenge get the better of me, I came to realise that I had a lot of things Brooklyn didn't. Without you, I never would have had anyone to teach me about those things. Without you, I never would have been able to use my most powerful emotion to overcome one of the biggest obstacles I've ever had to face. The strength I gained that day was all because of you. It was all *for* you. Now do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"I understand it well enough," admitted Takao. "The only trouble I'm having right now is believing it. I never knew I meant so much to you."

"Then you're either deaf or just the densest person around," replied Kai. "I didn't think I could get any more obvious than screaming out my love for you in the middle of a stadium that was crowded to capacity."  
He didn't have the chance to say anything else because Takao had already flung himself at him, burying his face against Kai's shoulder, laughing and crying all the while. Not seeing any reason to hold back any longer, Kai embraced him, resting his chin on the top of Takao's head and sighing in satisfaction. Takao was clinging onto him tightly and quivering in his arms, and it gave Kai a sense of power unlike anything he'd ever experienced before, just to hold Takao close like this.

He finally gave in and let his fingers slide through Takao's hair, enjoying the way it felt as it combed and petted it, then let his hand move lower to creep under the edge of Takao's top, stroking over the small of his back before trailing up along his spine. Takao shivered, nuzzling his cheek against Kai's before leaning back just enough so that they could look at each other. His face was still wet with tears, but the smile on his lips was happy and bright as he took in shaky little breaths. He caught hold of Kai's free hand and guided it to his mouth, kissing each of Kai's fingertips in turn before moving them down so that they rested over his heart. It was the most amazing thing in the world to give touch and receive it in turn, and Kai could only close his eyes and savour the feel of smooth, supple skin, as he placed his palm flat against the spot just under Takao's shoulder blades, his other hand still counting the beat of Takao's heart. And then Takao was kissing his lips, and being so gentle and careful about it, like he was afraid that he might hurt Kai if he pushed for too much, but Kai had no more need for nervous hesitancy, not now, not after he'd finally gotten all that he'd wanted and more. He was the one who took the lead this time, and his kisses were anything but chaste as their mouths met again and again, tilting his head and searching for the tightest possible fit. Kai didn't stop there, however, and he began kissing his way along Takao's jaw and down his neck, over skin that was just as soft and delicate as that little spot on the underside of his wrist had been. He could feel the flutter of Takao's pulse against his lips, against his palm, like butterfly wings, erratic and heady and seductive, and somehow Kai managed to drag himself away from that whispered promise, drawing his mouth back to Takao's in order to share one more kiss.

Takao was smiling again when Kai opened his eyes, and he couldn't help but offer up a smile of his own in return.

"I forgot to tell you earlier," Takao said in a breathless voice, "but welcome back."

Somehow, that just made things all the more perfect, even if Takao's habitual greeting had been slightly delayed. Those two little words carried all the stability and security that Kai had ever craved, and as he found his mouth gravitating back toward Takao's, he murmured out a response of his own before the moment could be lost.

"I'm home."


	8. Eight

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (8/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

Takao usually had a tendency to be overly chirpy first thing in a morning, but his good mood was only made even better when he brought the day's mail into the kitchen where Kai sat sipping his coffee.

"Look what we got!" Takao sang, slipping into his seat and waving an envelope under Kai's nose. Kai had just enough time to see the postmark from China before Takao began ripping it open, beaming widely when a letter fell out and then frowning when he noticed something extra. It was a card, and a fancy-looking one at that. Even Kai's interest was piqued as Takao unfolded it, skimming over the first couple of lines before his eyes went as wide as saucers. "'Hiwatari Kai and Kinomiya Takao,'" he read aloud, "'you have been cordially invited to attend the wedding between Kon Rei and Cho Mao...'" Kai held his hand out and Takao passed the invitation over to him, still gawking in shock at what he'd just seen. "Whoa, I can't believe Rei is getting *married*," said Takao, wonderingly. "I mean, I knew he and Mao would do something official eventually, but it all seems so weird, don't you think?"

"Rei has his own path to follow," Kai said disinterestedly. "Just because it's different from yours doesn't mean it's any less dedicated."

"I know, but he's still just seventeen!" Takao protested. "That's only a year older than I am! Still, it's kind of cool in a way, and at least he's throwing a big party for us all to attend!" He turned his attention to the accompanying letter and read through it in silence before adding, "Hey, it says here that there are going to be two ceremonies, one for the wedding and one to announce Rei as the new clan head! Is that going to be like a coronation or something? Will he have to wear a crown?"

"Somehow, I doubt that very much," said Kai, keeping his amusement at Takao's naivety carefully hidden. "Still, it'll probably be something traditional," said Takao, thoughtfully. "That means they'll want us to dress up. I wonder if I could get away with wearing the kimono Jii-chan always makes me put on for our visit to the shrine at New Year? Or maybe I'll just have to buy something new. We'll have to go shopping for a present anyway."

"'We'?" Kai echoed, raising one eyebrow.

"Sure, why not?" said Takao, giving Kai the thumbs-up sign. "It's easier to get a joint gift than two separate ones. What sort of stuff are you supposed to buy for a wedding, anyway?" He looked over at Kai, who shrugged. "Well, I'm sure Kyoujuu will know, and if he doesn't, he can always look it up on his computer."

He breezed out of the kitchen only to return again seconds later carrying the phone, and from what Kai could gather from Takao's excited babbling, Kyoujuu had already been talking to Max, and he let Takao in so that they could hold a three-way conversation. Just listening to Takao's end was enough to give him a headache, but Kai wasn't about to escape from all the planning and preparation that easily. Even though they still had a fortnight to get organised, Takao dragged him out shopping that very same afternoon, and his idea of what would make a good wedding gift clashed considerably with Kai's.

"Stop being such a grouch!" Takao scolded, pointing out his newest discovery. "Don't you think it's just the best thing ever?"

"It's a rubber fish," Kai said flatly.

"But it *sings*!" Takao said, his eyes sparkling with awe. "More importantly, it's *funny*. Rei would love it!"

"Wedding presents are supposed to be practical," Kai retorted. "What use is a singing fish?"

"It's still better than getting something boring like a coffee maker or crockery," Takao insisted. "When you give someone a gift, it's supposed to make them smile!"  
"And they *would* smile if you handed over a gag toy," Kai muttered. "You'd be a laughing stock."

"Hey, this is a joint gift," Takao reminded him. "That's why we have to agree before we officially pick it out!"

"I'm having no part in this," said Kai, but Takao had already grabbed his arm and begun tugging him further down the aisle. "Come on, Kai," Takao said, pouting. "Rei is one of our best friends, and this is going to be the most important day of his life. The least you could do is *try* to be happy for him."

"Fine," said Kai, tiredly. "But we're not buying him anything from this ridiculous joke shop."

"So we can't give him a fake nose?"

"No."

"Or a whoopee cushion?"

"No."

"Or glow in the dark vampire teeth?"

"Definitely not."

Fourteen days later and Kai had officially had enough of shopping malls to last him a lifetime. He'd also had enough of Takao's undying enthusiasm, which led him to take his seat next to Kyoujuu on the plane to China, in the opportunity of getting at least a little peace and quiet before the real insanity began. Takao had been momentarily put out that Kai hadn't wanted to sit with him, but he'd cheered up quickly enough when Max had engaged him in a rather animated-looking conversation. Hiromi and Daichi made up the rest of their group, and if Kai hadn't been so busy keeping his eyes shut so that nobody would bother him, he might have felt some sympathy for Daichi. Hiromi mopped his brow with a damp handkerchief at regular intervals, but Daichi's skin was still a rather worrying shade of grey. Both Takao and Max seemed oblivious to his predicament, and Kyoujuu was far too busy tapping away at his laptop to take notice of Daichi's distress.

All in all, it was a pretty peaceful flight, and it gave Kai time to think. Before he'd admitted his true feelings, he'd been so afraid that it might somehow change things for the worse between him and Takao, but in actual fact, there wasn't that much difference when he compared how they were now to how they had been before. Takao was still the same cheerful and outgoing person he'd always been, and while Kai had managed to open up a little more, he hadn't really altered much, either. It seemed that some things would always remain the same, but the few changes that had occurred had all been positive. Before he could reflect any further on what had happened, Kai's musings were rudely interrupted when Takao threw a paper airplane at his head, waving sheepishly when Kai opened his eyes to glare at him before mouthing 'open it', and turning his attention back to Max.

Irritated, Kai unfolded it, smoothing out the paper and blinking in surprise when he caught sight of Takao's familiar messy handwriting. He'd scrawled out 'I LOVE YOU' in scratchy characters and, in typical Takao fashion, he'd added a big smiley face at the bottom. Kai crumpled the paper up and stuffed it into his pocket, trying hard to frown and failing miserably when Takao glanced over in order to flash Kai one of the biggest and happiest grins he'd ever seen. Not wanting any of their friends to notice, Kai looked away and fixed his gaze onto the window, schooling his features into a carefully neutral expression. It was easier to pretend that nothing was out of the ordinary when they arrived at the airport and met up with Rei. Max and Takao wasted no time tackling him the second he came into their sight, and combined their powers in order to create what Hiromi affectionately referred to as 'the six-armed cuddle monster'.

Unsurprisingly, it took a while to reach Rei's village, isolated as it was, but the Baifuzu team greeted them all warmly when they made their appearance. Kai didn't notice the wizened little old man sitting on a nearby tree stump until Rei walked over to bow before him, and he leaned down so that he could whisper into Takao's ear.

"Who's that?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, that's Tao-sensei, the coach of the Baifuzu," Takao explained cheerfully. "We went shopping for women's clothing together once!"

Kai gave him a strange look, but Takao remained oblivious. "Okay guys, listen up!" Rei called, clapping loudly so that he could get their attention. "As you can see, we don't have any fancy hotels in these hills, so you'll all have to make do with shared rooms. The girls stay together, obviously, so the rest of you can battle out over who gets to room with who."

"I'll go with you, Rei," Kyoujuu said quickly.

"And I'll go with anyone who isn't Takao!" said Daichi, apparently recovered from his plane ordeal.

"Don't worry, Daichi," Max told him, looping an arm around his shoulders. "You can room with me and help unpack all the extra mayonnaise bottles I brought along!"

Daichi paled and turned to Takao with a pleading expression. "I changed my mind. I think I'd rather stay with you after all."

"Aw, don't be like that!" said Max. "Remember the fun you had when you stayed over at my house? We had mayonnaise on our noodles and mayonnaise on our toast and even mayonnaise on our cornflakes!"  
Daichi had gone from being white as a sheet to green as a gherkin, and that was when Rei chose to step in tactfully.

"Maybe I ought to get you settled before we do anything else," he suggested, ushering them along. "Daichi looks as though he needs to rest up first."

After a quick tour of the house, Kyoujuu was the first to drop off his things, and once he'd assigned Daichi and Max to their sleeping quarters, Rei led Kai and Takao to where they would be staying.

"Your room is the smallest," he said apologetically, "but it's the farthest away from the others, so it ought to be a little quieter." Kai nodded in appreciation and Rei continued. "There's just the one bed, but it's easily big enough for two. If you don't want to share, though, we can always make space for a futon."

"No need," Takao stated, tossing down his bags before walking the rest of the way into the room so that he could investigate. "We're pretty used to sharing by now."

Kai said nothing, just stared ahead stonily.

"Well, I guess that takes care of that," said Rei, a smirk crossing over his lips. "I'm glad you're so easy to please." Max chose that moment to interrupt, however, as he stuck his head around the door and waved Takao over with a grin. "I think you'd better check up on Daichi," he said, laughing uneasily. "When he saw that I was serious about bringing so much mayonnaise, he kind of fainted, and now he won't wake up."

"Sheesh, there's just no helping that guy," Takao sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. "I guess we'll have to find some way to revive him."

The two of them left Rei and Kai alone together as an awkward silence settled over the room. Kai busied himself by unpacking his things, ignoring the bags that belonged to Takao, and wondered how much longer he'd have to wait before Rei got the hint and left him alone. Either Rei wasn't being his usual perceptive self or he had something that he wanted to say, but whatever the reason, he sat down on the edge of the bed, making himself comfortable in a clear sign that told Kai that he wouldn't be going away anytime soon. "You should have let me know sooner about you and Takao," he said slyly. "We could have made this wedding into a double one."

Kai scowled warningly, but once again Rei paid him no heed. "You don't have to hide your happiness, you know," he said after a pause, his tone far more serious than it had been a moment ago. "No one's going to get angry if you smile sometimes, or show that you're actually having fun. You have a lot to be thankful for, so don't pretend it's all meaningless."

"You don't have to tell me that," said Kai, keeping his back to Rei so that he couldn't see his face. "It's only natural to worry when everything seems to be going along far too well."

"Waiting for the other shoe to fall, huh?" Rei replied knowingly. "I guess that makes sense. But really, there's nothing wrong about enjoying happiness when it's given to you. It's like holding a nice, shiny apple in your hand. There's no point holding back and staring at it, otherwise it'll just start to get old and decay. That's why it's best to eat the apple while it's still fresh. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Kai flashed a wry smirk over his shoulder at Rei but refused to turn around completely. "That has to be one of the crappiest euphemisms I've ever heard," he said flatly, but Rei had spent too much time around Kai to be upset by his defensiveness. "Well, you should think about it at least," he said mildly. "You want Takao to be happy, right? He won't do that if he's always worrying about you and your well-being, and trust me, he's done a lot of *that* over the years. Just give him something to smile about for once, and it'll make you feel good, too, cheesy as it sounds."

Kai tightened his right hand into a fist, torn between rebuffing Rei outright, and actually listening to the advice he was offering. "I don't want to make him worry if I can help it," he confessed finally. "And I *do* want him to be happy."

"I know," Rei said simply. "Takao is important to you, and I understand that. Even if I don't agree with how you've treated him in the past, I can still see how much you need him. I have no right to try and get in the way of that."

"You, Kyoujuu and Max are all the same," said Kai, ruefully. "You're always looking out for him."

"Of course we are," Rei informed him. "He's our friend, and so are you, even if you tend to forget that sometimes."

"Kyoujuu said the same thing," admitted Kai, and even though a part of him still refused to say the words out loud, he found himself speaking them anyway. "I guess I really do have a lot to be thankful for."

"I'll say," Rei teased, sensing Kai's discomfort and gently steering round it. "I have to make do with the humble surroundings you see before us, but *you* get to lord it up in a mansion. It's hardly fair."

"Life isn't fair, Kon," said Kai, relieved to slip back into his usual sardonic attitude. "You should know that better than anyone."

"Aw, come on," Rei said playfully, wagging his index finger. "We could always do a trade."

"I don't think you'd want to," smirked Kai. "You'd soon change your mind after a day of Kinomiya and his new-found passion for cleaning. You'd also have to put up with him almost burning down the kitchen whenever he tries to cook, not to mention being far too terrified to open up half the closets in the house in case a corpse falls out of one."

"It sounds like life at your place is far from dull," said Rei, laughing. "Admit it, though. You'd miss him if he wasn't around."

"Yeah," Kai said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I would."

The next day, the change in Takao's mood was considerably different as he hung outside the small tent that Hiromi and Mao had barricaded themselves in earlier.

"What on earth are they *doing*?" he huffed, pacing up and down in frustration. "They've been in there for *hours* now!"

"It's probably girl stuff," Max shrugged. "Not really anything we'd understand."

"Well, I can understand Hiromi having to lock herself up for so long," Takao snickered. "She needs at least three days and four nights just to trowel on her war paint in order to look presentable."

The flap of the tent peeled back and a feminine hand emerged to slap Takao soundly on the cheek, and when Hiromi stepped into the open, the rest of the group skittered away warily, in case she decided to wreak her vengeance upon them, too. "If you really must know, we're preparing for the wedding," she said primly, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring down at Takao, as though daring him to make another insult. "We're too busy to entertain the likes of you."

"But why is it taking so *long*?" Takao whined. "What's all this preparation stuff, anyway?"

"It's a secret," Hiromi said importantly. "We can't let you inside in case you go blabbing to Rei about what Mao will end up wearing for tomorrow's ceremony. He's not supposed to even see her for the next twenty-four hours!"

"That's just a dumb tradition," Takao snorted. "He's been able to see her ever since they were in diapers, so what makes this day so important?"

"If you're too slow to figure it out then I'm not going to bother explaining it," Hiromi retorted. "But anyway, no boys allowed!"

And with that, she disappeared back into the tent, but before Takao could give in and admit defeat, a tiny figure approached him.

"If you wish to infiltrate their inner circle, you must first make like the chameleon and camouflage," said Tao ambiguously.

"What do you mean by that?" Takao asked, his expression unusually respectful. Tao chose not to answer with words, though. Instead, he slid a hand into his robes and pulled out a pale pink summer frock, presenting it to Takao with an air of great honour. "I bequeath this item to you, my child," he said in a hushed voice. "Use it well, now."

"Tao-sensei, you're the *coolest*!" Takao exclaimed, reaching out to take the offering and giving out a squeak of surprise when he found himself being hauled away by a very disgruntled-looking Kai.

"Stay away from that perverted old man," hissed Kai, making sure they were well out of earshot.

"What are you talking about?" said Takao, frowning in confusion. "Tao-sensei is great, and he says some really meaningful stuff!"

"He's a deeply disturbed individual," Kai said stubbornly. "Do not trust him under any circumstances."

"But-"

"HEY, THAT'S MY DRESS!!!"

Both of them recognised that distinctive squawking as Mao's, and, unwilling to incur yet another female's wrath, Takao wisely chose to run away quite fast instead of hanging around in order to claim another mark to match the already blossoming bruise that covered most of the right side of his face.

Unfortunately, Kai somehow managed to lose track of Takao later on that afternoon, and after he'd questioned first Daichi and then Kyoujuu without getting any information on Takao's whereabouts, he gradually began feeling more and more apprehensive. "I think I saw him talking to Tao-sensei a while ago, but I haven't heard from either one of them since then," said Max, regarding Kai with a fair amount of curiosity. "Are you worried about them or something?"

"I'm worried about one of them," Kai said darkly, "and it's not that Tao guy."

Luck really didn't seem to be on Kai's side, however, because the phrase 'speak of the devil and he will appear' could just as easily have been applied to Tao. Kai had only just finished saying his name when he appeared, apparently out of thin air, grinning his usual toothless grin, and making Max and Kai flinch back in unison.

"The one you mention is currently seeking enlightenment," Tao said, bowing graciously. "Takao has embarked upon a quest to gain both wisdom and experience."

"And this means... what, exactly?" Max said cautiously. Tao stared at him for a moment and then transferred his gaze to Kai, smiling in a paternal sort of fashion and saying, "May the seed of your loins be fruitful in the belly of your woman, young grasshopper."

Kai sighed in relief as Tao hobbled off, while Max just scratched the back of his head in bewilderment.

"Um... shouldn't he be saying that to Rei, not you?"

This time, Lady Luck seemed inclined to give Kai his first break of the day, as the phrase 'speak of the devil and he will appear' could also have been applied to Rei, who appeared just as suddenly and silently as Tao had done.

"Did something just happen?" he asked, quailing slightly when Kai gave him a glare so hot, it could have burned down half the local forest. "I bumped into Tao-sensei on my way here, and he mentioned something about you looking for Takao. He's the one who sent me out to find you, actually."

"Takao did?" said Max, looking a great deal happier now the mystery seemed to have been cleared up. "Where is he, anyway?"

"He's waiting in the kitchen," Rei explained. "I've spent the last two hours teaching him how to cook, and he told me to bring you over so that he could test the results."

"So *that's* what the old guy was talking about!" Max laughed. "I wondered what he meant when he said Takao was looking for wisdom and experience. But still, it's good to see you being generous as usual. Takao should be grateful that you've taken time out of your busy schedule to instruct him!"

"Well, he did seem pretty keen," said Rei. "He tried his best, too."

"Of course he did!" Max enthused. "He's a fighter, after all!"

"So let me get this straight," Kai interrupted, rubbing his forehead wearily. "You've been giving him lessons in *cooking*?"

"He said it was for your sake," Rei replied, giving Kai a challenging glance. "He wanted to do something nice for you."

"Wow, you really are lucky, Kai," Max said wistfully. "I wish I had someone taking care of me the same way Takao takes care of you. It's like you've already won the game of life!"

Kai's left eyebrow twitched, and Rei was quick to take notice.

"Anyway," he said, hurrying them both along, "let's just go to where Takao is, okay? I think we all know how he gets when he's impatient about something."

Takao was certainly pleased to see them when Rei ushered Kai and Max inside the kitchen, and he cleared his throat before gesturing grandly to the table standing behind him. "Prepare to be amazed and astounded by my achievements! Marvel at my transformation from totally inept to master chef!"

"I think Kai should take the honour of being the first to taste test," Max said sweetly. "If he keels over and passes out, the rest of us will know not to eat what he did."

"Very funny," Takao retorted. "I put my heart and soul into making this meal! Even Rei was impressed by it, and he's good enough to get hired by fancy restaurants! Come on, Kai! Dig in! I swear my cooking isn't going to kill you."

Kai let Takao to pull up a chair for him and sat down dubiously, ignoring the way Max leaned forward with an air of great anticipation.

"It's a pity Mao-chan isn't here," he remarked, grinning cheekily. "She could have taken notes on how a good housewife is supposed to serve her husband!"

Takao and Kai turned identical glares at him, but Max's smile only dimmed a little, instead of fading away completely.

"Ooh, synchronised scowling," he joked. "How scary!"

Sighing disdainfully, Kai decided to just get things over with so that he could disappear straight after and find a more peaceful place, away from all the noise and bother, and although it was somewhat difficult to enjoy what he was eating while three pairs of eyes watched his every single move, he had to admit that Takao's culinary skills had come a long way since the first time he'd attempted to create something edible.

"What do you think?" Takao said eagerly. "Is it good?"

"I've had worse," said Kai, resisting the urge to smirk as Rei nearly fell over in shock.

"You can't say that!" Rei cried, looking outraged. "At least tell him that it tastes okay!"

"It tastes okay," Kai mimicked, making Rei hang his head in frustration. Takao seemed overjoyed, however, and he clapped his hands with glee. "Now we won't have to keep living on cup ramen! Isn't that great, Kai?"

"It's fabulous," Kai said dryly, but Takao seemed not to notice the underlying hint of sarcasm and, as he began to chatter on about all the things they could eat together in the future, Kai allowed himself a barely-there smile in response to Takao's infectious enthusiasm.

Later on that evening, Takao's boundless energy showed no sign of wearing down, as he and Kai made their way back to their room, throwing himself onto the bed and making himself comfortable as Kai closed the door behind them.

"That was a nice wedding," Takao said conversationally, folding his arms under his head and kicking his feet a little. "Actually, it's the first one I've ever attended, so it's not like I have anything to compare it with. It was awesome, though, even if Mao kept disappearing every five seconds to change her dress. Why was that, anyway?"

"Tradition, I guess," said Kai, frowning when he saw that Takao had taken up most of the bed with his graceless sprawl, and waiting for him to move over and make space. "If that's the case, then I'm sure glad I'm not a woman," Takao remarked, shifting just enough to let Kai sit down on the edge of the mattress. "I still can't believe Hiromi cried through the *whole* ceremony. How embarrassing."

"And who was the one who lost the rings?" said Kai.

"That was an accident," Takao grumbled, blushing indignantly. "I found them eventually, didn't I? Besides, it's not like I lost them on purpose. These things happen, no matter how much you plan on trying to prevent them! Still," he added, his voice softening a little, "I'm glad we came. Rei seemed so happy. He was smiling so much."

"Like he was holding an apple in his hand," Kai noted.

Takao stared up at him, both eyebrows raised. "What does fruit have to do with any of this?"

"It's just something Rei said," Kai told him, feeling vaguely foolish. "It means enjoying your happiness while it's right there in front of you."

Takao pondered that for a moment and then said quietly, "Are *you* happy, Kai? It's kind of hard for me to tell sometimes, so I want to make sure that I'm doing the right thing here. It doesn't *feel* like I'm doing anything wrong, but just tell me to back off if you find it annoying, okay?"

"It's not annoying," Kai said, shaking his head. "And... I am happy. Just being able to have you close like this is enough."

Takao dropped Kai's gaze and rolled onto his side, running his fingers over the covers and plucking at them in what Kai recognised to be a sign of nervousness. "You know something?" Takao said, his cheeks tinged pink. "I meant what I told you before, when Kyoujuu brought that newspaper article over, and I got mad at what they'd printed. There's nothing bad about your name, Kai, and if it means anything to you, I'd take it, if I could. You're not nasty or evil or any of those things, you're someone who's worthy of being admired and respected. You deserve that just as much as anyone. I *want* you to feel happy. I *want* you to feel loved."

"I do," Kai said honestly, placing his hand over Takao's and stilling it. "Thank you for giving me those things, Takao."

That earned him an immediate smile, just like it always did whenever he called Takao by name, but it seemed almost shy for some reason when Takao finally lifted his eyes and stared back at Kai. "There's something else I want you to have, too," he said, turning Kai's hand over in his and lacing their fingers together, as his blush darkened even further. "We've known each other for more than three years now, and I trust you more than any other person on this planet. I know this is probably going to sound dumb, but... you're the one, Kai. I'm sure of it."

Suddenly the room felt far too hot, and Kai took in a deep breath before saying, "What exactly are you trying to tell me?"

"That I want us to... well, you know," Takao said, the nervousness creeping back into his voice. "It's probably what Rei and Mao are doing right now."

"Oh." Kai stared down at the covers. "You really want to...?"

"Yeah, I think so. Do you?"

"I guess. Are you ready for this?"

"Are you?"

Their eyes met, and there was a moment of silence before Takao suddenly burst out laughing. "This is stupid," he admitted. "Why are we getting so embarrassed?"

"You started it," Kai informed him, unable to keep himself from smiling along with Takao.

"Yeah, I did," agreed Takao, with a grin. "Got a problem with that?"

"Only if you have," Kai said, expecting to feel out of place with their banter, and being surprised when he didn't. "Hey, I'm the one who got all mushy just now," Takao defended. "You haven't even told me that you love me yet!"

"I know," said Kai, his tone completely devoid of humour. "I could show you, though," he added, understanding at last why Takao had acted so nervous earlier. "If you want, that is."

"Yeah," Takao said softly. "I do."

The awkwardness was still there, as Kai allowed Takao to tug him the rest of the way down onto the bed, but it soon melted into familiarity when their bodies pressed closer together and their mouths began getting reacquainted. Kissing was something they both felt comfortable with by now and, for a little while, they stayed in the security of those shallow waters, just offering and accepting in turn. Then Takao rolled onto his back, pulling Kai with him so that he was lying on top, and smiling up at him gently. That was when Kai finally realised just how serious Takao had been before, that he could do whatever he liked, and that Takao wouldn't do anything to stop him. Takao had already give him love and respect and everything else Kai had ever needed, and now Takao was giving himself, and he was all Kai's for the taking. For as long as he could remember, Kai had always desired power, and there had been times when he thought he'd been able to hold it in his hand, but now he knew better. *True* power was different, and Takao was the one who'd let him have it. It wasn't about claiming or controlling something, it was about earning the trust Takao had given to him so freely and *keeping* that trust instead of using it against him, and in that moment, Kai felt like the strongest man alive.

A part of Kai's mind was telling him 'you don't deserve any of this', but when Takao continued to smile at him with such warmth and patience and encouragement, it was more than enough to help Kai believe such words weren't true, especially since Takao himself had been the one to let him know that. There was so much that he had yet to thank Takao for, so much that he could never even begin to repay, but instead of being anxious or uneasy, the only things he found himself experiencing were gratitude and happiness. When Kai placed an unsteady hand on Takao's chest, it was his first step to returning all the things Takao had done for him and, his confidence increasing, Kai let himself explore through touch. He let his fingers slide over Takao's shoulders, his arms, his torso and his sides, listening with wonder to all the little noises Takao made in response, and then giving a short gasp of his own when Takao called out his name so reverently. When Kai looked up into his eyes, he could see Takao's wordless permission and, biting down on his lower lip, Kai gave Takao what he was asking for silently by removing him carefully of his clothing.

"You too," Takao said, his eyes dancing with mischief, and Kai moved back to sit on his heels. Takao followed so that he was kneeling in front of him, stripping Kai with the same care he himself had been shown before taking his turn to touch. Kai watched as Takao mimicked his earlier movements, tensing whenever Takao's fingers hit a sensitive spot, and then relaxing again when he continued his exploration.

There was nothing left between them now, and Kai found himself comparing and contrasting himself to Takao, just staring at him and taking in all the things that made them different and similar at the same time. Takao was shorter than he was and more slender, but his skin was glowing golden in the glow of the lamplight, making Kai appear pale and almost ghost-like next to him, and then suddenly they were kissing again, with urgency this time rather than the urge to learn and reassure. When Takao let his hands wander lower still, Kai shivered at the sensations that were being coaxing out of him. He wanted to slow down, to savour the experience, but at the same time, he was tired of waiting and tired of holding back. Just looking at Takao's face was enough to tell him that Takao understood and felt the same way he did, and after that, things couldn't move along fast enough.

Kai's kisses were frantic and desperate as he pushed Takao onto the bed so that he was lying underneath him once more, aching to bring them closer still, and when their bodies finally united, it was the most incredible, the most amazing, and the most unbelievable thing Kai had ever experienced. It was almost *too* good, and almost too much for him to handle. He couldn't do anything other than gasp and shudder, and he'd never felt so helpless in his life, but just when he felt the last of his control slipping away, Takao was the one to guide him back, like always. "It's okay," he kept saying, as he stroked Kai's face gently, lovingly. Kai opened eyes he hadn't known he'd closed, and he whispered Takao's name in the tiniest, most broken voice he'd ever heard.

"Shh," Takao told him soothingly. "Let me take over for a while."

Their separation felt agonising, even if it was just temporary, but Kai followed Takao's lead, rolling onto his back while Takao straddled his hips, getting into position before lowering himself back down and joining them together once again. Then he could only watch as Takao moved against him, moved with him, more beautiful and staggering and awe-inspiring than anything Kai had seen before, and when their rhythm built up to a crescendo and eventually slowed to a stop, the only thought that remained inside Kai's head was, '*This* is perfection. *This* is what it's like to be loved'. Then Takao leaned in to kiss him languidly, and Kai stopped thinking altogether.


	9. Nine

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (9/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

Over four months had passed since Rei's wedding, and life for Takao had changed a lot since then. He was back at school for starters, and even though he'd never really been the type to study, it was something that his grandfather had recently said that made Takao pick up his lessons again. He'd visited the dojo early one morning for his usual kendo practise when his grandfather had mentioned wanting to see his youngest grandson graduate from high school while he was still alive.

It had been a wake-up call for Takao, and one that he hadn't appreciated receiving. For as long as he could remember, his grandfather had always seemed so invincible and full of life, that it was hard to imagine a future without him in it. As much as he annoyed Takao with his over-exuberance and his tendency to tell embarrassing childhood stories to anyone who'd stand still long enough to listen, Takao didn't much like the idea of his grandfather no longer being around. After all, he was the one who'd raised Takao practically since birth, and as much as Takao loved his father and his brother, his grandfather was the only one who'd ever really been there for him. Even if he was just a little bit insane, Kinomiya Ryuunosuke was one of the most reliable and dependable people Takao had ever known, and although the sensible side of him could acknowledge the fact that his grandfather wouldn't be around forever, the rest of him clung to the stubborn, childish belief that there wasn't anything on earth capable of defeating his grandfather, not even death. Still, it was a sobering thought, and even though his grandfather showed no sign of slowing down yet, Takao had decided to fulfil his request and give the old man something to feel proud of. Kyoujuu had been a big help, of course, and with his tutoring sessions, along with Hiromi's incessant nagging, Takao's grades had improved considerably. School wasn't the only thing taking up his time these days, though. Thanks to a little assistance from Daitenji, Takao had finally set up the BBA's official training programme, and even though he only held three sessions a week for every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it was more than enough to keep him busy. Once upon a time, Takao might have protested such a heavy workload, but now he thrived on it. He loved being around people and he loved being able to pass on his enthusiasm for beyblade to a new generation of participants, but even so, he couldn't help feeling lonely now and again, and things had been that way ever since Kai had made the decision to help reform and improve Hiwatari Enterprises.

It had been something of a surprise when Kai had made his announcement, and although Takao knew next to nothing about technology and development, he'd still given Kai his support and encouragement, but the more involved Kai had begun to grow with his family's business, the more it seemed to keep him away from home.

Takao had never complained about it. When Kai set his mind to something, he devoted himself heart and soul. Takao knew that better than anyone, and he had no intention at all of begrudging Kai of any success, even if he did have a tendency to sometimes get so focused on his work that his personal life occasionally took a backseat. It was something Kai himself had wanted to do, and Takao could only offer whatever help he could, even if it was something as small as taking care of Kai, but recently, that had been getting difficult, too. They hardly ever ate dinner together anymore, because Kai usually tended to come home later. It wasn't much of a problem, since Takao could easily heat up leftovers or make something else from scratch, but he missed being able to do simple things like sharing meals with Kai, just like he missed being in his company. He didn't want to seem clingy or desperate, but he didn't want to seem uncaring or out of reach either.

The worst thing was that he hadn't been able to confide his worries with anyone. Rei already had enough to cope with back in China, and ever since Max had moved back to America to be with his mother, Takao had begun to feel slightly isolated. He still had Kyoujuu and Hiromi, of course, but he'd burdened them enough already with his school studies and his coaching, and he didn't want to force any more of his problems onto their shoulders. Daichi was too young to really understand, and although Takao could have gone to his grandfather, it was a mixture of pride and fear that held him back; pride because he wanted to show his grandfather that he was capable of surviving on his own, and fear because he didn't want his grandfather to think badly of him for whatever reason. In truth, Takao *wasn't* able to get by on his own, and that happened to be the biggest part of his concerns. He didn't enjoy being alone in such a huge house, or knowing that most of his important people were either too busy or too far away to help him out. When Kai finally arrived back home late that evening, however, Takao put aside his own troubles in favour of seeing to Kai's needs. Kai seemed exhausted, and he didn't even resist as Takao steered him into the dining room and got him settled at the table. "Long day?" Takao said sympathetically, taking a seat opposite Kai and watching him eat. "The less said about it, the better," Kai replied shortly. "That bad, huh?" Takao said.

Kai shook his head and sighed. "Not bad, just tiring." "You work too hard," Takao admonished gently. "It wouldn't hurt to take a break, you know."

"Try telling my superiors." Kai frowned suddenly and glanced over at the clock on the wall. "Shouldn't you be coaching right now?"

"We finished up nearly two hours ago," Takao replied. "It's a school night, remember? We only run the sessions from four-thirty till six-thirty."

"But it's nearly nine o'clock now," Kai pointed out. "Have you been waiting for me all this time?"

"Well, I had homework to take care of," Takao shrugged. "I have a literature test next Thursday, so I've been reading up on that."

"And you didn't invite Kyoujuu or Hiromi over to keep you company?"

"No, I figured they'd be busy with their own affairs, so I took care of it on my own." Takao laughed when Kai's frown darkened even further and rolled his eyes playfully. "Sheesh, don't look at me like that. I'm okay, really. Worry about your own well being before you start worrying about other people. You look dead on your feet."

"I'll be fine," Kai said, but Takao had already gotten out of his chair so that he could walk round the table and stand behind Kai, placing his hands on his shoulders and rubbing them carefully. Kai uttered a soft groan and closed his eyes, relaxing into Takao's touch. "You have about a hundred years to stop doing that," he murmured.

"Then just sit back and enjoy it," Takao instructed, working out the tension from Kai's muscles. "Let me handle this."

Kai sighed deeply, his meal forgotten, as Takao continued the massage, stroking and soothing his body and driving away all the stubborn aches. "I think you're getting a little too skilled at this," he said, moaning for a different reason completely when Takao leaned in and kissed the side of his neck.

"You know what they say, practise makes perfect." Takao grinned as he loosened the knot of Kai's tie and unfastened the top three buttons of his shirt, slipping his fingers inside and running them over the smooth skin that had just revealed itself. "Do I have a hundred years to stop doing this, too?"

Kai smirked and turned around just enough to capture Takao's lips with his own, but before they could even begin to really enjoy the kiss, the phone rang right at that very moment and broke them apart.  
"Ignore it," Takao whispered, but Kai shook his head.

"I can't. It might be important."

Takao disengaged himself reluctantly and allowed Kai to get up, only half-listening as Kai spoke to whoever was calling. He gathered enough to learn that it was something work-related, and he went back to his own seat, knowing this could take some time.

Sure enough, Kai was busy studying a fax when he returned to the table, and Takao propped his chin on his hands as he attempted to give Kai a momentary distraction.

"Did you read the letter we got from Rei this morning?" he asked.

"No, not yet," said Kai. "What did he write?"

"It was pretty long, actually," Takao informed him. "It's been a while since he last sent anything, so he had a lot of news to give out. Did you know he's about to be a daddy soon? He and Mao are expecting their first kid in six months' time. They had this big argument over whether or not they should find out the baby's gender before it gets born, and even though Rei said they should wait and see, Mao decided otherwise. I think Rei was too scared to stand in her way and refuse."

Kai gave a non-committal grunt.

"Anyway, it turns out they're expecting a girl, and they've already picked out a name. Rei says they're going to call her Rin. Isn't that awesome? We're going to be uncles soon! Okay, so we won't be *real* uncles, but still, you know what I mean."

"Yeah," Kai replied absently. "Sounds great."

He wasn't really listening, though, and Takao knew it. Kai was still poring intently over the fax he'd received, so Takao tried a different tactic. "You should drop by our training class sometime," he suggested, keeping his eyes fixed on Kai for any kind of reaction. "You haven't made an appearance since our official opening session, and the kids keep asking me when you're going to show up again."

"Hmm," said Kai, not even looking up. "I'm serious!" Takao exclaimed, getting the feeling that this conversation was more than a little one-sided. "You ought to check out some of the raw talent we've managed to gather so far. There's this one guy, Nao, who kind of reminds me of how you used to be. He tries to make out that he's tough and that he doesn't need anyone, but underneath the frowns, he's a really good kid. His parents are going through some hard times right now, and poor Nao's getting the worst of it. He tries to make out that he's independent and that he doesn't need anybody, but really, he's doing his hardest not to be a burden." Takao puffed his chest out proudly and added, "You have no idea how cool it is to have the kids coming to me for important stuff like this. I'm the mature and responsible authority figure they feel safe in bringing all their problems to!"

"That's nice," said Kai, his tone even more distracted than it had been previously. Takao decided to give it one last try. "Did I ever tell you about Mika? She's nearly as good as Nao when it comes to blading, and she terrorises half the boys in the group. She's a little hotheaded, and her stamina could use some work, but if she keeps trying as hard as she does, I think she could go a pretty long way. It's hard to believe she's only nine years old, especially since she got bumped up a whole four grades in her school for being so smart, but she's really fun to teach, even if she is kind of scary. I think that's probably why she and Hiromi seem to get along so well, you know, birds of a feather and all that."

Takao waited for a response but received nothing, and that was when he reached across the table to snatch the fax away from Kai, who blinked in surprise, before saying, "Give it back."

"Nuh-uh," Takao said stubbornly. "You can look at it later. You just got home!"

Kai looked as though he was about to argue, but Takao jumped up and took his hand, dragging him out of the room and towards the staircase. "What do you think you're doing?" Kai asked warily, resisting a little as Takao continued to pull him along.

"You'll find out soon enough!" Takao sang, refusing to let Kai pull away from his grasp until he'd finished towing him all the way into their bedroom. "Takao, it's not even 10pm," Kai said coolly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall with a huff. "Don't tell me you want to sleep already."

"Nope, not just yet." Takao threw himself on the bed, bouncing on it for a few seconds before beckoning Kai over to join him. "Come on! Hurry up!"

Kai rolled his eyes and stalked over to sit down on the edge of the bed, looking very huffy about the whole thing as Takao wriggled over to sit by his side. "Okay, now what?"

"I have an idea," Takao said grandly, waiting for Kai to look impressed and ploughing ahead anyway when he didn't. "I think that we should go and get married!"

Kai regarded him strangely. "Did you hit your head on something while I was out?"

"No, I don't mean that we should have a *real* wedding," said Takao, his tone slightly impatient. "It'll just be a pretend one. You know, for fun."

"I don't have time for foolish games," Kai said, but Takao latched onto his arm before he could get up and leave.

"Please, Kai?" he asked, quietly. "For once in your life, indulge me?"

Kai closed his eyes and rubbed the spot just above the bridge of his nose, frowning as though he could feel a headache forming there. "Do I even want to know what brought this on?" he sighed.

"No reason," Takao said, his expression innocent. "I just want to do something with you, even if it's silly and pointless. Besides, you're always so wrapped up in your work these days that you hardly ever do anything that'll make you smile anymore. Be with me for a while? Please?"

"Fine," Kai relented, and Takao gave him such a dazzling smile that he actually found himself wincing back a little from its radiance.

"All right, just give me a minute to get started," Takao commanded, leaning over Kai and opening the drawer of the bedside table, fumbling clumsily before plucking out what he'd been looking for. "Ah-hah!" "Takao, what are you-"

"Shh! I'm not finished!"

Kai watched, half annoyed and half-bewildered, as Takao arranged Dranzer and Dragoon artfully on the tabletop.

"Witnesses," he explained, grinning even wider when Kai rolled his eyes in response. "Okay then, let's go over our roles. You can be you and I'll be me. Oh, and I guess I'll be the priest, too," he added. "Someone has to conduct the proceedings."

"You really *have* hit your head on something," said Kai, sardonically. "I can't think of any other explanation as to why you'd be doing something so insane."

Quiet!" Takao hissed. "You're ruining the ceremony!"

Kai's right eyebrow twitched, but he kept his mouth shut this time, as Takao cleared his throat.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, in the face of this congregation-"

"What congregation?" Kai cut in. "Check your eyes. We're the only two people here."

"You forget who's witnessing," Takao said, pointing over to their beyblades. "Besides, I doubt we're going to want an audience for what happens *after* we finish taking our vows. Or do you have some secret fetish that you've been hiding from me?"

Kai scowled, his face a delicate shade of red. "In your dreams, Kinomiya."

"Oh, really?" Takao said slyly. "Then why are you blushing?"

"Shut up and get on with what you're doing, otherwise I'm leaving."

"Fine, fine, but just remember that *you* were the one to interrupt." Takao cleared his throat again and picked up where he'd left off. "We are gathered here today, to witness the joining of these two people - which would be me and you, by the way - in holy matrimony..."

"Somehow, I don't think you're quite cut out for the priesthood," smirked Kai. "Your lack of professionalism, combined with your complete and utter incompetence, would make them kick you out before you could even finish the interview."

"Hey, I was brought up in a dojo, not a temple," Takao protested. "Besides, there's not a religious sect in the world that would allow me to join after all the things we've done together. Then again, I *am* an angel for putting up with you these past three years, and since angels are ranked higher than your average run-of-the-mill priest, I think that makes me qualified enough to conduct this ceremony." Kai looked sceptical, but Takao ignored him and continued.

"*Anyway*, do you, Hiwatari Kai, take me, Kinomiya Takao, to be your own?"

"This is stupid," Kai muttered.

"I'm not done! To love and to cherish, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others for as long as both shall live?"

"Whatever."

"Kai, say it properly!"

"I do."

"With more enthusiasm!"

"I *do*."

"You didn't have to clench your teeth like that, but I guess it'll suffice." Takao sat up straighter. "Now I, the incredibly talented and sexy Kinomiya Takao, take you, the incredibly mean and cranky Hiwatari Kai, to be my own, to love and to cherish, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others for as long as both shall live. That means you're not allowed to cheat on me ever, got it? If you do, I'll be sadder than... well, a very sad thing."

"I notice your vows differ slightly from my own," Kai pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course," Takao replied, matter-of-factly. "It's called improvisation. I *am* the priest, remember? But anyway," he added, grinning like an idiot, "I do! Oh, and one more thing..." He snagged the half-empty can of soda on the bedside table and chugged down what was left of it before snapping off the ring pull and passing it over to Kai before holding his left hand out expectantly. "We forgot to do the 'with this ring I wed thee' part."

The way Kai's lips quirked up in bemusement was hardly noticeable, but Takao caught it just the same, and he beamed right back at him in response. Kai slid the ring pull onto Takao's finger with an expression that clearly said 'why am I even doing this', but Takao merely admired his new accessory in mock adoration.

"It's so beautiful, Kai," he cooed, fluttering his eyelashes. "It must have cost you a fortune!"

Kai gave in and let a real smile show this time, although it was a little long-suffering. "You are an idiot," he said, trying and failing to sound scathing.

"And *you* have a ceremony to consummate, mister," Takao replied, his voice turning low and husky, as he wound his arms around Kai's shoulders and began sliding his tie the rest of the way off. "You haven't even kissed me yet. Feel like remedying that?"

Kai tugged the tie away from Takao's hands and stared down at it with a thoughtful expression. "Um... you're not thinking of doing anything kinky with that thing, are you?" Takao asked nervously, his alarm only growing when he caught sight of the decidedly evil glint in Kai's eyes. "I asked you to kiss me, not gag me."

"Well, those are two ways to shut you up," Kai remarked blandly, running the tie through his fingers in a lazy fashion. "I'm sure I could come up with a few more along the way."  
Takao gave a rather panicked-sounding laugh. "Yeah, but you really don't have to -- mmff!"

And he didn't say anything coherent again for the rest of the night.

For a few days, it almost seemed as though things were back to normal, at least until Takao found himself taking second place to Kai's workload once again. Things didn't improve when Kai came home one evening to announce that he'd be spending the next week in Germany at a conference, and had refused to let Takao accompany him.

"We've been over this already," he said tiredly as they waited at the airport for his flight to arrive. "You have commitments of your own to worry about. You can't just drop everything in order to tag along with me. What about school? What about your coaching?"

"You're more important than both those things put together," Takao argued stubbornly. "Kyoujuu can tutor me on any important stuff that I've missed and I can cancel my classes until I come back. The kids will understand."

"Even if they did, you still don't have any luggage of your own to bring with you."

"Then I'll borrow something of yours!"

"And how would you get on the plane with no ticket? Be sensible, Takao, and stay at home."

"Dammit, Kai, I'm not a dog you can order around whenever you like! I'm just as capable of making my own decisions as you are!" Takao would have liked to say more, but he realised that he was starting to earn stares from other travellers as his voice grew louder and louder. Taking a deep breath and forcing himself to calm down, he added quietly, "Let me come? Please? I don't want you to go away for so long. I'd miss you too much."

"It's only seven days," Kai reminded him. "I'll be back before you know it. You won't even have *time* to miss me."

"Believe me, I've had all the time in the world," Takao said, somewhat bitterly, ignoring the way Kai's expression turned slightly odd. "Look, if you won't take me with you, at least forget about this conference thing and stay here instead? It can't be *that* important, and even if it was, the Kai I've always known would never have given a damn about sitting in a room full of stuffy board directors. He'd have just barged right ahead and done his own thing, regardless of what other people thought."

"There's no reason for you to get so upset," Kai said, placing his hands lightly on Takao's shoulders and giving them a brief squeeze. "Wait for me, okay?"

"But I don't want you to go!" Takao insisted, knowing that he sounded petulant and childish and hating himself for it. If he could, he would have thrown himself onto Kai and never let him go, but there were in a crowded airport, and he knew how much Kai disliked it whenever he made a scene. He also knew how much Kai disliked any kind of public display of affection, even if it was something as simple as hugging. He was still an intensely private person, and although Takao could respect Kai's desire to keep their personal affairs away from the eyes of other people, it was something that he himself found to be frustrating and, as he bit his lip and tried hard to keep his temper in check, he wondered when everything had come to be on Kai's terms, rather than his. Takao's anger left him as suddenly as it had come, and he sank down in one of the nearby seats, closing his eyes and placing his head in his hands. He hated feeling so foolish and vulnerable, but if it was for Kai, he knew he'd be willing to throw away everything without a second thought, including his pride. Kai just didn't seem to realise or want to acknowledge that fact.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, his voice muffled behind his hands. "I'm sorry for being stupid and trying to hold you back. You were right. I should stay."

Takao resisted a little when Kai pulled his hands away but eventually allowed him to uncover his face, knowing that Kai could see the sadness and defeat there and not even bothering to hide it. "Takao..." Kai said softly, raising one of his own hands and placing it against Takao's cheek. "Nuh-uh." Takao pushed Kai's hand away gently and let it fall. "You should leave while you still can."

Kai frowned slightly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box, hesitating for a second before passing it to Takao. "I was going to wait until I came back before I gave you this, but..."

Takao accepted the offering wordlessly, opening it up and nearly dropping it in shock when he saw what was inside it. "I figured you deserved more than a mere ring pull," Kai explained, watching Takao carefully to gauge his reaction, "so I bought you something better instead."

"Are you *proposing* to me?" said Takao, disbelievingly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Kai said dismissively. "There's no way we could legally marry. It's just a gift, that's all. I know I haven't been around much lately, but I can at least try and make it up to you."  
But rather than being pleased, it only left Takao cold. He didn't want trinkets or apologies, he just wanted Kai himself, and if Kai was too blind to see that.

"Thanks," he said hollowly, still staring down at the box. "It's really... nice."

Kai looked as though he was about to say more, but the announcement for his flight came in, and Takao rose to his feet.

"You should get going. Call me when you make it to the hotel, all right?"

Kai nodded and reached out again, taking Takao's hand loosely in his. "I'll be back soon," he promised, and he stepped back, releasing his grip. Takao let him leave, smiling faintly as he stayed long enough to see Kai onto the plane, and then turning around when Kai left his line of sight. He didn't think he could stand to be on his own right then, so he went to his grandfather's dojo instead of going straight back home. He kicked off his shoes in the hallway and ventured inside, smelling the scent of cooking and following it into the kitchen, where he found his grandfather standing at the stove and whistling as he worked.  
"Yo, Jii-chan!" he said brightly. "Got room for one more?"

The old man whirled round, clutching his chest. "Don't scare me like that, Takao!" he cried, but his face was smiling, and he gave Takao a mock-thwap on the head with his spatula. "My bad, my bad," Takao grinned, holding up his arms defensively. "But still, you don't mind having an uninvited visitor, do you?"

"You're welcome back here anytime you like and you know it, fool boy," his grandfather said. "It's only the ladies who have to call in advance to get an appointment with this Romeo. My youngest grandson is free to drop by whenever he wants." Then he narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Or am I not hip enough for you to hang out with these days? It's been so long since I last saw your face that I'd almost forgotten what you look like. You've been giving so much love to your fella that you don't have any left over for your old man, am I right?"

"It's really not like that," Takao attempted to say, but his grandfather had already begun to frown warningly.

"Are you even eating properly?" he asked, lifting up Takao's tee shirt and poking his ribs. "You're looking way too skinny. I know most kids think they can survive on sunshine and fresh air, but you won't be managing any fancy footwork and swordsmanship skills if you don't take care of your body. It's a good thing you came over, because now I can start feeding you up again!"

"Jii-chan, you don't have to-"

"No talking back while I'm giving you a lecture! You haven't even grown since the last time I saw you, either. You'll never catch up to your big brother at this rate. Go stand against the wall so that I can measure you!"

Takao was really starting to regret paying a visit as his grandfather nudged him over to the spot at the corner of the kitchen covered in marks and scribbles. The mark nearest the floor was labelled 'age four', and each mark after had been placed higher and higher with each passing year that recorded Takao's growth. The last mark read 'age sixteen', and when Takao grudgingly stood beside it, he could see the concern in his grandfather's features deepening even more.

"Look at this!" the old man said, pointing his finger. "You're exactly the same height now as you were at fourteen!"

"I'll be seventeen soon," Takao tried telling him, but his grandfather shook his head.

"That's my point exactly, little man! You haven't grown an inch in almost three whole years! Do I have to start hanging you outside the window by your ankles in the hope that you might stretch some?"  
"You'd better not. I wouldn't want you to let go and drop me on my head."

"This is no time for jokes, kiddo! The reason you're so short is because you're not getting the right nutrition! Start setting the table so that I can force some food into you!"

Takao grumbled to himself as he pulled plates and dishes out of the cupboards, but did as he was told, only pausing when he found himself wondering how many people he should be preparing for. "Hey, Jii-chan, where's Daichi?" he called.

"Outside practising with those spinning top thingies," the old man shouted back. "Find him and tell him that his lunch is ready!"

Sure enough, Daichi was training in the back yard, and Takao took a perverse kind of pleasure in yelling Daichi's name and watching as Gaia Dragoon suddenly spun off course and went crashing into a wall.  
"What was *that* for?" squawked Daichi, as Takao smirked back at him deviously. "You broke my concentration, you jerk!"

"Like you would have done much better even if you *had* been concentrating," Takao teased, ruffling Daichi's hair. "Come on in, monkey boy. Lunch is ready."

Daichi's bad mood dissipated instantly once he reached the dinner table, and then he was all flying elbows as he set about cleaning his plate as quickly as he could manage. "Gimme more!" he commanded, practically inhaling the rest of his rice and holding out the empty bowl to Takao's grandfather eagerly.

"Hey, you could at least stop to chew," Takao admonished, making a face in disgust as Daichi leered back at him in response.

"You're just jealous 'cause you can't eat as fast as me!" he crowed. "When it comes to packing away food, I'm definitely number one! Got that, pal? It means *I'm* better than *you*!"

"Dream on, brat," Takao said, adopting the pose that he'd seen Kai use countless times before by crossing his arms over his chest and staring down his nose at Daichi. "There's nothing on this earth that you could beat me at. Except maybe shooting off your mouth."

"In that case, I challenge you to a battle!" Daichi stated, draining the last of his soup with one hand and shoving his beyblade in Takao's face with the other. "Or are you too afraid to take me on? It's been months since you last had a real fight, so I'll bet you've let yourself go rusty. In that case, it'll be an easy win for me!"

"You wish," Takao snorted. "I could beat you with both hands tied behind my back, but right now, I'm not in the mood."

"That's because you're scared," scoffed Daichi.

"It's because I'm *eating*," Takao corrected evenly.

"Oh yeah? Then how come you've hardly taken a bite since you first sat at the table?"

Takao looked at his bowl, startled to see that Daichi was right. "He's got a point," his grandfather said from across the table. "Chow down before it gets cold!"

"No, he's going to battle me first!" Daichi protested. "We can eat while we fight! It'll be a whole new style of beyblading!"

"Not now, Daichi," Takao said, brushing off the younger boy and going back to his meal. At least he tried to. Daichi was still whining in his ear about wanting a match, but his repetitive requests were surprisingly easy to tune out as Takao picked at his rice absently and cast his mind back to what had happened at the airport. He wondered how long it would be until Kai reached his destination, and then he found himself wondering just what he ought to say when Kai eventually called to let him know he'd arrived safe and sound. Their parting had been awkward to say the least, and Takao sighed deeply as he remembered the little box nestled inside the pocket of his jacket. It was the first time Kai had ever gotten him a gift. He'd never given Takao a birthday present or a gift for any other holiday before, but Takao hadn't exactly minded. Just a smile or a word of acknowledgement had been enough. Things were different now, though, and Takao stared out the window pensively as he wondered just why Kai had decided to buy him anything in the first place. Had he just meant it as an apology? Had Kai himself actually picked out the gift, or had he roped someone else into getting it for him?

Takao had no idea how to react to any of it. He knew that all couples inevitably began to drift apart at some point in their lives, but it was hard to admit the same thing could be happening to him and Kai after barely half a year spent together as lovers. Was Rei having a similar experience with Mao? Takao doubted it, but in any case, Rei's situation was different. The person he'd decided to settle down with was just an ordinary girl from a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, while Kai was the heir of one of the richest businessmen in Japan, possibly in the whole world. Takao could understand Kai wanting to take something that his grandfather had started and do something to make it better, but he couldn't deny that it hurt to have Kai paying less attention to him as a result. He was starting to get that feeling of being left behind again, and suddenly the idea of spending the next seven days on his own at the Hiwatari mansion made him nearly choke on his food in panic. He didn't think he could face a whole week full of nightmares and loneliness, but just when he was about to speak up and ask his grandfather if he could stay over, Daichi got his attention by poking him with the end of his chopsticks.

"Quit spacing out at the table, will you?" he said disapprovingly. "And eat your meal while you're at it. People who leave leftovers will go to hell, you know."

Takao turned to stare at him blankly and Daichi flinched back at Takao's empty expression.

"H-hey, don't look at me like that! It's creepy! Now, are you going to battle me or what?"

"Battle you?" Takao repeated dimly.

"Yeah!" Daichi enthused. "Fight me, fight me!" He latched onto Takao's arm and began tugging with all his might. "I want a match right now!"

"I don't really feel like it," Takao told him, but Daichi refused to listen.

"C'mon, I promise I'll make it quick! I'll defeat your sorry ass in no time at all, so hurry up and we can battle!"

"I *said* I don't feel like it."

"Just one match? Please? I want a battle I want a battle! Let's fight and fight and fight some more, and then we can start all over again! Come *on*, Takao, fight, fight, fight!"

Daichi keep droning on and on, but this time it grated on Takao's nerves, and all the anger and frustration and resentment he'd been feeling just kept on building until finally, it snapped. As was usually the case when Takao got upset about something, he tended to lash out at the nearest available target, which in this case happened to be Daichi.

"Leave me *alone*!" Takao yelled, making Daichi quiet down the only way he knew how at that moment, by hitting him. The sound of flesh smacking against flesh echoed sharply, and Takao regretted his actions the second he saw the flash of hurt and bewilderment in Daichi's eyes. He reached out and said, "Daichi, wait!" but Daichi had already jumped to his feet and run off, slamming the door shut violently behind him. "That was not impressive, little man," Takao's grandfather said softly, his expression unusually stern. "I think you owe him an apology."

Takao bowed his head in shame, trying his hardest not to just give in and cry. His hands were shaking, and he felt like he was about to be sick. "You don't look too good, Takao," the old man said, after a moment of silence. "Is there something that you need to get off your chest?"

Takao was tempted to just out everything, but when he looked up to see the worry on his grandfather's face, he couldn't do it. "No," he said dully. "I'm fine. Do you have any idea where Daichi might have run off to?"

"He usually stays in your old room," his grandfather replied. "Checking there might be a good start."

Takao nodded and got up, walking the short distance to the place where he'd always slept before knocking on the door tentatively. "Daichi?"

"Go away!" Daichi shouted. "I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

"Will you at least open the door so that I can apologise?"

"No! Get lost!"

"Listen, Daichi. I'm sorry, okay?" Takao listened, but silence was his only answer. "I did something I shouldn't have and... I'm sorry. You can hit me back if it'll make you feel better."

"And sink to your level?" sniffed Daichi. "No way. You wanted me to leave you alone so that's what I'm doing. Happy now, Mr. Antisocial?"

And he refused to say anything more than that. Takao gave up and left, stopping to say goodbye to his grandfather before he went. "Did you two manage to sort things out?" the old man asked.  
"Not really," Takao said. "I think Daichi'll be okay, though."

"And you?" his grandfather prompted. Takao gave a half-hearted smile and raised his shoulder in a tiny shrug. "Bye, Jii-chan. I'll see you around."

But when he closed the front door behind him and set off down the street, it suddenly occurred to him that for the first time in his life, he didn't have a place where he could go.


	10. Ten

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (10/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

Takao didn't know how or why, but for some reason or another, he found himself standing outside the door of Hiromi's apartment, dithering a little before finally reaching up and ringing the bell. Hiromi's mother was the one who answered, and Takao gave her his best winning smile.

"Tatibana Oba-chan, is Hiromi home?"

"Well, if it isn't Takao-kun," she said kindly, inviting him inside. "It's been a while since you last came to visit. Wait here a moment and I'll go fetch Hiromi."

Hiromi appeared seconds later, making a face when she saw who her visitor was. "Oh, it's you," she said darkly, making Takao cross his arms over his chest and scowl back at her in response.

"Looks like somebody's in a good mood today," he drawled. "I was until *you* decided to show up," Hiromi huffed. "But since I'm always a good hostess, you'd better wait in my room while I fix up some snacks. And don't touch anything!" she added, as Takao grinned deviously. Resisting the temptation to do the exact opposite of what Hiromi had told him, Takao sat himself down at the small table in her bedroom until Hiromi returned to pour out tea and then set a bowl of crackers in front of him. "So," Hiromi said curiously, arranging herself daintily before taking a sip of her drink. "What brings you here?"

"I just wanted to see your face, oh beautiful goddess," Takao said innocently, ducking when Hiromi threw a cracker at him.

"Very funny," she snapped. "But still, I'm assuming there's a real reason as to why you're here? If you've come to copy my homework, I'm not going to let you look at it. You can do it all by yourself instead!"

"I've already finished the assignment, for your information," Takao told her smugly. "That s good to hear," Hiromi said, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "I guess even you couldn't stay lazy and unmotivated forever."

"You're just jealous because I scored higher than you in our last history test," Takao reminded her, smirking. "Only by two marks!" Hiromi said quickly, looking very ruffled. "Besides, I didn't see you beating Kyoujuu."

"That's because his grades are too high for me to aim for," Takao dismissed, waving one hand. "Kyoujuu has an IQ of about 600, so there's no way I'd be able to match *his* test scores. I beat yours, though, and that's good enough for me."

"You don't have to sound so pleased about it," Hiromi muttered, still very unhappy with the way their conversation was going. "But anyway, enough about schoolwork. Why *are* you here?"

Takao lowered his gaze and traced the tip of his index finger over the tabletop, causing Hiromi to heave a weary sigh at his unresponsiveness.

"Let me guess," she said. "Something happened." "How do you know?" Takao asked, somewhat defensively.

"Because you're not doing your impression of a human vacuum cleaner," Hiromi replied frankly. "Whenever I usually put food down in front of you, it's gone before I can even blink, and you only ever go off meals when you're really upset. The miserable expression kind of gave it away, too. Let me guess. It's Kai, isn't it?"

Takao looked up sharply and Hiromi gave another sigh.

"I thought so. He's the only one who can make you go from being completely ecstatic to hopelessly depressed in the space of about three seconds flat." Hiromi furrowed her brow and cracked her knuckles in a threatening fashion. "Do I have to beat him up for you?"

"There's no need for that," Takao said dryly. "We haven't even been fighting."

"Then why the long face?" Hiromi wanted to know. Takao paused, unsure of how to answer. He had no idea if he'd be able to even put what he was feeling into a coherent sentence, let alone give Hiromi a truthful response. "Well, you know what they say," Hiromi told him. "Love can make a man as strong as a lion and weak as a kitten. I read that in a romance novel once." Then she tilted her head questioningly. "What has he done this time? Did he abandon you again? Has he been seeing someone else behind your back? Has he told you that he's not attracted to you anymore?"

"Not exactly," Takao confessed, taking out the box that he'd been carrying around in his pocket and pushing it across the table in Hiromi's direction. "He gave me this."

Hiromi opened up the box with a frown, her eyes widening dramatically when she saw its contents. Her face went red and she made a funny sort of noise that sounded like a cross between a splutter and a choke before eventually fixing Takao with a disbelieving stare. "You're moping because he gave you a *ring*?" she gasped. "Are you insane? I'd be *thrilled* if some guy was giving me jewellery like this! You don't have a clue how lucky you are!"

"You think?" Takao said vaguely, watching as she admired the object, holding it up at every angle and giving a low whistle as the light caught it and made it sparkle.

"It's not often that I give out compliments, and especially not about Kai, but I have to admit he has pretty good taste," said Hiromi, still staring at the ring as though mesmerised. "I mean just *look* at this thing! It's got to be insanely expensive, judging by all these sapphires. Did he tell you how much it cost?"

"I never asked," said Takao, shrugging. Hiromi narrowed her eyes, finally noticing his lack of enthusiasm. "I take it you're not impressed by this little gift," she stated coolly.

"I guess," Takao replied. "But then I don't really know much about shiny rocks."

"And that's why you're hopeless!" Hiromi claimed, exasperated. "Hopeless, hopeless, *hopeless*! Did you even thank Kai? Have you even tried it on yet?"

"No, I-"

"Put. It. On," Hiromi commanded, emphasising each word in a way that made Takao cringe in fear.

"Yes, ma'am," Takao said meekly, trying to convince himself that he was only imagining the evil vibes of killer intent hovering over her head. Hiromi was all sweetness and smiles again once he did as he was told, however, and that was even more frightening than the way she'd been glowering at him earlier. Unthinkingly, he slid the ring onto his wedding finger, and he nearly jumped through the roof in shock when Hiromi let out a piercing shriek.

"Did Kai ask you to *marry* him?" she squealed. "Is *that* why you've been acting so strange?"

"As if," Takao scoffed. "Kai only gave this to me as an apology."

"An apology for what?" asked Hiromi, intrigued. "For devoting more of his time and attention to work than me, that's what," Takao said dejectedly. "Okay, I think I get what's going on now," Hiromi said slowly.

"You're unhappy because Kai has been neglecting you a little, is that it?" She shook her head with a click of her tongue. "I can understand why you'd want to complain about something like that, but still, you have to count your blessings. Not many people are fortunate enough to live it up in a big old mansion and get showered with expensive gifts. Asking for more would be kind of greedy."

"It's not that," Takao told her, frustrated. "I know I'm supposed to be grateful, and I am, but... it's not like I actually *need* any of these things. I don't need jewellery or huge houses or anything like that, I just... I just want to be with Kai, and I can't because he's thousands of miles away from me right now. Even when he's there, it feels like he's not, and then I start getting all lonely, and knowing Max and Rei aren't even in the country only makes things even worse. I treat Daichi like dirt, I make Jii-chan worry when he shouldn't, and then I go loading all my problems onto the shoulders of someone who doesn't even care." He laughed mirthlessly and added, "You were right. I *am* hopeless."

"What makes you think I don't care?" Hiromi said, pressing her hips together in a thin line.

"Because you'd rather be reading one of your girly books than talking to me?" Takao suggested. Hiromi opened her mouth and then closed it again before she could say anything, raising up her right hand and slapping it sharply across Takao's face. Takao blinked back at her dazedly, but that only served to make her even angrier. "Why you... you..." Hiromi stood up and began pacing restlessly, wringing her hands and scowling. "There's no word in the dictionary that could even *begin* to describe your foolishness! How can anyone be so selfless and so utterly *stupid* at the same time?"

Takao tried to speak, but Hiromi shushed him immediately with a glare.

"No interruptions," she said sternly. "From now on, you're going to listen to me. First of all, what makes you think I don't care? Sure you're rude, obnoxious, uncouth, tactless, annoying, not to mention about a million other negative things, but in spite of all that, I actually worry about your well being. You know why? Because underneath all the arrogance and the obliviousness, you're actually a good guy, with a good heart and a good mind. You're strong and loyal, and there are a lot of people out there who are proud to call you their friend. You might not believe it, but I happen to be one of them."

Takao stared in shock, but Hiromi held up one finger warningly.

"Hold on, mister, I'm still talking. So what if you're lonely? Big deal! Max and Rei have their own lives, and wanting those lives to revolve around you is childish. It's not like they're gone for good, though, and you still have me and Kyoujuu, even if you don't get to see those two as often as you once did. So what if Kai forgets about you once in a while? I'm sure there are times when you aren't giving him your one hundred percent attention for every minute of the day, and you're not training to be in charge of the largest development firm in the country!"

Hiromi seemed to calm down somewhat after that, and although her tone gentled slightly, there was still a certain amount of firmness to it.

"Like I said, you need to think about what you *do* have, instead of what you're missing. I don't agree with everything Kai's ever said or done, but even I can see that he loves you, and that you love him, so what could be better than that? He cares about you enough to put a roof over your head, and he cares about you enough to make sure that you're not wondering where your next meal is coming from. Okay, so he's even more arrogant than you are, and he's self-absorbed, and he can be a total jerk sometimes, but he's still a hundred times better than he once was, and it's all thanks to you! If you guys have even half the relationship I think you do, why can't you *tell* him if you're upset about something instead of sulking over it by yourself? Kai's not a mind reader, so he's never going to understand anything if you don't talk to him."

"But I don't want to do anything to cause him trouble," Takao insisted stubbornly. "He's busy enough already without having to take care of my problems."

"And that's what makes you stupid!" Hiromi exclaimed. "Wouldn't *you* want to know if something was worrying Kai? How would you feel if *he* was upset and you didn't have a clue what was wrong or how to fix it? You'd be going crazy trying to make it better, wouldn't you? You can't just bend over backwards to please him all the time and ignore your own concerns in favour of his, because love isn't like that! It's all about give and take, and if you haven't figured that out yet, then it's about time you did. Kai is human, and yet you worship him like he's a god. You need to kick him off the pedestal you placed him on and start treating him like he's your equal, not your superior!"

Rather than being insulted by such a talking-down, Takao found himself feeling better than he had done all day, thanks to Hiromi's bluntness, and when he smiled, it was real, not forced. "And how do you suggest I deal with Daichi, oh wise woman?" he asked, mimicking Hiromi's earlier expression by arching both his eyebrows.

"That's easy," Hiromi said dismissively, taking her place at the table once more. "You and Daichi argue constantly, so no matter what you said to him this time, it'll all blow over eventually. You guys rub each other up the wrong way, and that's never going to change, no matter what happens."

"I hope you're right," Takao said, dubious.

"Of course I am," Hiromi answered proudly. "But now that you mention it, we *do* need to brush up our teamwork skills, and I have just the idea to make you forget about your moping once and for all."

"And what would that be?" Takao queried.

"Karaoke, obviously," Hiromi said promptly. "How about it? You, me, Daichi and Kyoujuu can all go out together as a group and have fun!"

"There's just one minor flaw in your plan," said Takao, grinning evilly. "You can't sing to save your life, remember?"

Luckily, he ducked when Hiromi threw not only the crackers at him but the bowl they'd been sitting in, and it was only thanks to Hiromi's mother sticking her head in the room to find out what all the noise was that Takao ended up being spared from suffering an early death.

Whereas Takao's worries had been somewhat relieved, however, Kai's had only just begun. As promised, he'd called to let Takao know that he'd arrived, but instead of being there to pick up, Takao had been suspiciously absent. Kai had left a message on the answer machine, but he still couldn't help being bothered by it. Time differences aside, there was no reason why Takao wouldn't have been home, and although Kai's initial instinct had been to verify Takao's safety, he tried to refrain from jumping to conclusions and getting worked up over nothing. Even so, his thoughts weren't entirely focused on his surroundings when he left the hotel not long after he'd dropped off his things, and instead of familiarising himself with the territory, he found himself walking aimlessly through the streets of the city. It was this lapse of concentration that made him fail to notice the object heading straight into his path, but he soon realised what was going on when he came within mere centimetres of being hurt. Just when he turned around to bark at whichever kid had launched their beyblade with such a lousy aim, the words died in his throat when he caught sight of a familiar smirking Scotsman.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" It was none other than Johnny of the Euro Team, and his grin only widened when he stooped down to retrieve his blade before straightening up again and regarding Kai with more than a hint of curiosity.

"I almost didn't recognise you without your war paint," he confessed, looking Kai up and down in amusement. "Still, it's good to know I didn't get the wrong guy. Why the hell are you wearing a suit, Hiwatari?"  
"None of your god damned business," Kai said frostily, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, *excuse* me," drawled Johnny. "I didn't know it was that time of the month." Then he raised his voice and shouted over his shoulder. "Hey! Look who's come to town!"

Kai was not surprised in the least when another familiar face turned up. After all, wherever Johnny happened to be it could usually be assumed that Ralf wasn't far behind, and while Johnny's reception had been less than welcoming, Ralf smiled warmly when he saw who had caught the attention of his teammate.

"Greetings, Hiwatari Kai," he said, giving a slight nod of acknowledgement. "It's good to see you again."

"Speak for yourself, Ralf," Johnny snorted, raising his arms and crossing them behind his head carelessly. "If you're looking for a challenge, you'd better go elsewhere. He was so spaced out that I nearly knocked him out with my blade. How lame is that, huh?"

"If I wanted your opinion, McGregor, I'd ask for it," sneered Kai. "But since I consider it to be practically worthless, I think you'll be waiting a very long time to hear that request."

Johnny looked very much like he wanted to engage Kai in a contest that involved more than trash talking, but Ralf sighed and placed a warning hand on Johnny's shoulder.

"Just remember where you are," Ralf reminded, casting a disapproving glance at Kai to make his point. "Brawling in public is for drunkards and children who don't know any better, and since both of you are neither of those things, I'd suggest you calm your tempers and resolve this in a more mature fashion."

"Now you're talking," Johnny said enthusiastically. "Consider this a challenge, Hiwatari! You may have won our last battle, but I've gotten way stronger since then. You'll have a hard time keeping up, that's for sure!"

Before Kai could open his mouth to accept, though, he suddenly froze when he stuck a hand into his pocket to draw out his beyblade out of habit and came up with nothing. Forcing down the anger and humiliation of having to turn away from a fight, he gave his fiercest scowl and answered gruffly, "Looks like you'll have to postpone your challenge. I don't have Dranzer with me right now."

"You're kidding," said Johnny, incredulously. "Well, thanks for wasting my time. Is Takao around? At least *he's* a worthy opponent."

"That's enough," Ralf said sharply, making Johnny flinch. "There's no need for such rudeness or insolence, no matter who your rival may be. I won't ask you to apologise, but you can at least watch your words from now on."

As if backing down from a battle wasn't bad enough, having Ralf defend him only made Kai feel even worse. His mood and his day thoroughly spoiled, Kai turned on his heel and showed his back to Ralf and Johnny in a display of defiance. "I don't need this," he said darkly. "Goodbye."

"Wait!" Ralf called. "You don't have to leave so soon. You're a visitor to my country, and it's only right for me to offer you hospitality."

"Thanks but no thanks," Kai told him. "Besides, I already have a place to stay."

"Won't you at least stop to talk for a while?" asked Ralf. "Johnny and I were just about to go home anyway, so you're welcome to drop by. After all, any friend of Takao's is a friend of mine, too."

And so, Kai found himself sitting in the back of Ralf's limousine ten minutes later, doing his best to ignore Johnny, who was trying equally hard to ignore him. Ralf sat between the two of them, occasionally sending reproving glances at one or the other, and looking quite relieved when they finally reached their destination.

"So where *is* Takao?" asked Johnny as they made their way inside the castle. "You never answered me before. And what about the other guys?"

"Max is in America and Rei is in China," Kai replied tonelessly. "Takao is still in Japan. I only came here on business, so I told him to stay at home."

"Sheesh, he's not your wife, Hiwatari," Johnny said distastefully, slipping past Ralf into the drawing room and throwing himself onto the couch. "Takao can do whatever the hell he wants. Or does he have to ask permission from you first?" he added, raising an eyebrow. Kai glared at him darkly but said nothing, just sat opposite Ralf at the table.

"Still, it is a shame that Takao couldn't be here," the eldest member of the Euro Team said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I would have liked to battle him again. Even if he is retired from competitive beyblading, he'll always be the one to beat."

"It's a total waste of talent if you ask me," said Johnny, kicking his legs. "Just when you manage to find a decent opponent, he slips right through your fingers. Isn't he teaching kids now or something?"

Ralf nodded approvingly. "An excellent idea. Takao is a rare type of warrior who battles with pride and honour. Passing down those traits to a new generation of beybladers is very noble indeed. I know I managed to learn from him, and I'm sure the challengers of the future will too."

"Even if Takao won't be participating anymore, there are still people out there we have to fight," said Johnny determinedly. "The first thing we need to do in next year's tournament is get even with those Barthez creeps. I'll beat them all with my own hands!"

"I think Olivier and Gian Carlo would have something to say if you tried to keep them out of the action," said Ralf, smiling slightly. "Yeah, well, they'll just have to wait their turn," Johnny said dismissively.

"Revenge comes first!" Then he craned his neck to look at Kai. "So, what are you planning on doing? Are you going to join up with those Neo Borg guys again, or are you going to stick with the BBA? Not that it really matters one way or the other, since you change teams more often than you change your underwear. I don't think the word 'commitment' seems to exist in your vocabulary."

Kai remained silent once again, but this time it was more out of indecision than any irritation for Johnny. He hadn't really given the next world tournament much thought, but now that Johnny had mentioned it, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do at all. During the beginning of the last tournament, it had felt like he'd been going through the motions rather than putting any real effort into his battles. With the exception of Brooklyn, no other blader had been able to bring the same emotion and competitiveness out of him that Takao did. Every other opponent he'd faced off against had been merely another step on the ladder that brought him that much closer to fighting Takao. In short, Takao was the only person Kai had ever taken any real interest in wanting to defeat. He didn't care about titles or trophies, he just wanted to be the best, period. Or at least he *had* wanted to be the best.

Somehow, Kai's life had ceased to revolve around the sport, and the frightening thing was that he couldn't even remember how such a thing had even happened. Once upon a time, not even injury and hospitalisation could have kept him from going into battle, but now he'd reached a point where his enthusiasm seemed to have dimmed so much that he never even thought to carry his beyblade around with him anymore. Takao was the one who'd made him realise the importance of having a reliable partner in battle, and just as Takao had said, Suzaku had stuck by Kai through everything, even if he had abandoned his sacred spirit just as easily as he'd once abandoned his friends. Suzaku would probably be upset at being forgotten about, and Kai was surprised Takao hadn't yelled at him for it already. Now that Kai thought about it, Suzaku wasn't the only one he'd been neglecting. He'd only really noticed it when Takao had seen him off the airport, but something had been different about him. He'd been withdrawn and subdued, and for someone as perpetually cheerful and lively as Takao, this was worrying indeed. His head still swimming with this new revelation, Kai barely noticed when Ralf tapped him gently on the shoulder, but he soon came back to himself when he heard Johnny's derisive snort. "Hello? Earth to Hiwatari? Anybody home?"

"Shut up, McGregor," snapped Kai, scowling when Johnny gave him an infuriating grin.

"I'd ask if you woke up on the wrong side of bed, but I know for a fact that you're *always* this grouchy," Johnny snickered. "Takao must be a saint to put up with you, and yet you still treat him like a slave. Don't be surprised if he gets fed up and leaves someday. Takao's one of the nicest guys around, but even he has his limits."

"What have I told you about being rude, Johnny?" Ralf said quietly. "Kai's personal life is none of your concern. Besides, he's probably tired from his trip. Feel free to stay the night if you like," he added, turning his attention back to Kai. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? Forgive my neglect. I should have asked you sooner."

But Kai couldn't stop thinking, even when Ralf led him to one of the guest rooms and gave him a quick tour of the floor that he'd be staying on. He mumbled out something that vaguely resembled a word of gratitude as Ralf closed the door behind him and then wandered over to the bed, staring out the window but not really seeing anything. He couldn't shake the feeling that his life was somehow reverting back to the way it had been before he'd finally accepted his true feelings. Takao was acting the same way he had done when he'd set off on his trip around Europe with his brother, and it was the same reservation coming from Takao that made Kai so uneasy. He'd known things would change between them after becoming lovers, and he'd been prepared to accept those changes, even if they happened to be negative. Until now, Kai had always thought they'd changed for the better, but that, apparently, wasn't the case. Takao was unhappy and he was unhappy, and Kai had no idea how to make that better.

At least the reason for Takao's unhappiness was easier to figure out. Kai knew how much Takao hated being alone in such a huge house, and yet he'd still ignored Takao's request and left him anyway. He hadn't felt any guilt over it at the time, assuming that Kyoujuu or Hiromi would be there for Takao in his absence, but now it kept coming back to plague him, like the words Takao had spoken to him back in Greece. Kai had never stopped to consider Takao's feelings, not when he'd abandoned the BBA team and not when he'd set off on his trip to Germany. He'd done it again - he'd hurt Takao without even knowing. The worst thing was that he knew Takao would forgive him for anything he did, just like he always did. No matter how distant or how cruel Kai could be to him, Takao would simply smile and say that it didn't matter anymore, so long as he was back. Even though he needed that forgiveness, Kai couldn't bring himself to like it, or himself for the things that he'd done. Maybe it didn't matter to Takao, but it definitely mattered to him. Takao had been nothing but accommodating, while Kai had been far too wrapped up in himself and his work to even take notice. Kai couldn't understand how he'd allowed things to change so drastically without even paying attention to them. Once upon a time, he'd been willing to make the biggest sacrifice of all by giving up his life to save what he'd cared about the most, and the passion he'd held for the things that he loved had burned brighter than any flame. Where had it gone?

That was when Johnny's words began echoing inside his mind, and Kai unconsciously clenched his hands into fists. Takao had left him once already, and he didn't think he could stand to let him slip away again. Takao was the most important and influential figure in Kai's life, and his inability to articulate that frustrated him. In truth, he was a little envious of the way Takao was so in tune with his emotions. Although Kai had come a long way since the day they'd first met, he still tended to struggle when it came to admitting how he really felt. It had taken a training session with Romero from the F-Sangre team to make him realise that he'd been clinging on to his hatred rather than making the use of a much more powerful emotion, and even then it had taken him longer than he would have liked to figure it out. There was no more need for confusion or denial, because he loved Takao. It really was as simple as that. His love for Takao was the strongest and purest thing Kai possessed, and although the part of him that still smarted over being forced to back down from a challenge resented the fact that he'd grown so dependant, the rest of him accepted and cherished that dependence. Takao was his everything, his rival, his partner, his lover and his best friend. Kai needed him to be all of the above, but more importantly, he needed Takao himself. Kai didn't appreciate being badmouthed by a hot-headed Scotsman, but he had to admit that it was the second time Johnny had helped open his eyes for him, however unintentional his assistance had been.

There was no way he could continue walking through life and assuming that what he did already was more than good enough, just like he couldn't continue ignoring the things that he held most precious. With that in mind, Kai found himself unable to idle any longer, and he left the room he'd been assigned to and stepped outside into the hallway, frowning as he tried to remember the directions Ralf had left him with. "Is there anything that you need?" an elegant, cultured voice spoke up.

Kai turned round to see Ralf's faithful butler standing behind him and offered a nod of acknowledgement. "I'm looking for a telephone," he said curtly.

"Right this way," said the butler, and Kai followed him down the stairs and into a lavishly decorated sitting room, not dissimilar to the one he'd left Ralf and Johnny in earlier. The butler bowed and then gave Kai his privacy, closing the door with a soft 'click'. Kai picked up the receiver and dialled, tapping his foot impatiently and waiting for Takao to pick up. Just like last time, Kai received no response. However, his mind was made up when he left behind his second message. With that accomplished, Kai set about accomplishing the second task on his list, and once he'd finished that, he went to hunt down Ralf to let him know that his hospitality was no longer necessary.

Yawning widely, Takao rubbed the sleep away from his eyes as he unlocked the door and stepped inside the house, kicking off his shoes and hanging up his coat. True to her word, Hiromi had dragged him out for an evening of karaoke, and while that had certainly helped lift his spirits, knowing that he'd finally managed a reconciliation with Daichi factored into his good mood, too. Daichi had forgiven him (but only after Takao had paid for all the drinks and food), and even Kyoujuu got into the spirit of things by leaving his laptop at home for once (but only because he was afraid that it would get broken or stolen). Hiromi had even invited the three boys back for an impromptu sleepover at her apartment, and even though it had been cramped to say the least to share the tiny spare room with Kyoujuu and Daichi, Takao had enjoyed every minute. It didn't matter that Daichi drank too much soda and had been bouncing off the walls with undiluted energy, or that Hiromi had spent the whole night nagging him. He'd gotten to spend time with some of the people he cared about the most and, when he noticed the light on the answer machine blinking out the corner of his eye, his mood lifted even more when he heard what those messages were.

Although he'd only just got home, he had just enough time to call a taxi before throwing on his shoes again and rushing off to the airport to meet Kai. He didn't know how or why, but whatever the reason, Kai's trip had been cut short, and he'd asked Takao to meet him at the gate he'd be arriving at. Takao reached his destination with seconds to spare and, after the announcement over the speakers pointed him in the right direction, he waited impatiently for Kai to make an appearance. He wasn't disappointed, and when he succeeded in picking out Kai from the rest of the crowd, he was quick to see that Kai looked almost as tired as he felt.

Now extremely concerned, Takao ran over to greet him, allowing Kai to guide him over to a quiet corner before bombarding him with questions. "What's wrong? Did something happen? Why are you home so soon? What about your conference? How come-"

Kai silenced Takao by putting a finger to his lips and waited until Takao's words trailed off in surprise. "I had more important things to take care of, so I decided to leave earlier than planned," he explained. "More important things?" Takao repeated, frowning in confusion. "Like what?" Then he shook his head and added, "No, wait, there's something I have to say first, and it's something that I should have told you a long time ago." He took a deep breath and then continued. "Look, I just want to apologise, okay? I've been acting kind of weird lately, and I guess I've been pretty selfish, too. I know how hard you work and I know that I haven't really been that much help, either. It's unreasonable and unfair to want you all for myself, and I should have been more considerate with you and honest about my feelings. Sure I've felt pretty lonely and left out these days, but that's nothing compared to what you've been putting yourself through. You probably won't listen to this, but I think you're working yourself way too hard, and it's about time you took a break. You could get hurt or sick or worse, and I don't want any of that to happen. Really, I don't."

"Then it looks like we've both had the same idea," said Kai, smiling faintly. "The higher-ups weren't happy about it when I said that I'd be going back home, but I couldn't really bring myself to care. Pack your bags. We're leaving."

"Leaving?" Takao said, now even more bewildered. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere you want," Kai told him, "so long as it's on a map and we can find it, of course."

"You mean you want us to go together?" Takao said weakly. "But... what about work? What about your boss?"

"He told me I couldn't. I told him to shove it," Kai said simply. Takao stared blankly for a second or two and then burst into laughter, clutching at his sides and gasping for breath. "Now *that's* the Kai I know and love," he said, shaking his head and wiping away a tear. "God, I've missed you."

Kai held out his arms and Takao practically leapt into them, burying his face against Kai's shoulder and wrapping his own arms tightly around Kai's torso. They stood like that for a moment before Takao pulled back just enough so that he could look Kai in the eye.

"I never got the chance to tell you before, but thanks for this," he said, reaching under his shirt and pulling out the ring that Kai had given to him. "Hiromi lent me a chain that I could wear it on. I figured I'd better keep it hidden from Jii-chan, otherwise he might have a heart attack."

"You like it?" asked Kai.

"I sure do," Takao told him, and this time his enthusiasm was genuine. "Still, you know what I said earlier about being more honest? It's great that you want to buy me stuff and all, but if you're feeling bad or guilty about something, an apology works better than a fancy gift, and it's something that I'd appreciate more, too. Not that I don't appreciate being showered with presents, but I'd much rather have you than pretty jewellery."

"I'll remember that," Kai said wryly. "So where do you want to go?"

"France would be good," Takao mused. "It'd be nice to stay there without having to worry about being stalked by vampire wannabes, and we might run into Olivier as well. I'm tired of cooking all the time, and he makes the best cuisine in Europe. Plus he owes me a rematch, since our last battle *was* a tie." "You're going to have to wait before you fight him," smirked Kai. "*I* reserve the right to battle you first."

The look of shock that crossed Takao's features soon melted into a familiar cocky grin as he gave a smirk to rival Kai's own. "Oh, you are going to eat those words, pal," he said. "I'm going to wipe the floor with you!"

"In your dreams," said Kai. "Just because Dranzer and I are out of practise doesn't mean you're going to have an easy win."

"Hell no," Takao replied, his smirk softening into a smile. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	11. Eleven

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (11/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

Routine. Stability. Security. A family. These were all things that Kai had once experienced during a time when he'd been far too young to appreciate any of them, and although he'd never expected to receive any of that same warmth and familiarity again, Takao had proved him wrong. Now his life was almost back to being ordinary, and while anyone else might have bemoaned a lack of unpredictability and excitement, for Kai it was a welcome change, and one that had taken a fair amount of getting used to at first. He went to work, he came home again, and twice a week he and Takao would visit the Kinomiya dojo to have dinner with Ryuunosuke and Daichi. More importantly, he was gradually managing to escape from his grandfather's shadow and, rather than being viewed by many as simply being nothing more than Hiwatari Souichiro's successor, Kai had been able to prove his own capability and intelligence rather than taking the easier option of relying on the power of his family name. He'd wanted recognition for his work, not his grandfather's, and while there had been an initial amount of resentment and hostility in the beginning, Kai's honesty and fairness soon began to change that. He could have chosen to fill his grandfather's position as president in spite of his inexperience, but Kai had never been anything less than upfront and practical, so he'd refused to take the role, at least not until he was ready.

Life at home was something different altogether. These days, Takao never failed to let him know when he was getting too absorbed in his work, and there wasn't much that he tended to keep hidden anymore. They'd both agreed to get their problems straight out in the open should any crop up, and Takao had been more than happy with that. He'd even decided to start on a new project, which Hiromi and Kyoujuu had taken part in, too. While Kyoujuu had been less than thrilled about the idea of cleaning up the gardens and making them look presentable again, Hiromi had dived into it wholeheartedly, and the arguments she'd had with Takao over which flowers would be best to plant had been even more heated than her enthusiasm. All three of them had been slightly surprised when Kai had offered his assistance, though really he'd been more interested in getting to see Takao on his hands and knees while wearing a pair of short shorts than anything they were planning on growing in the ground.

Takao had also been the one to suggest bi-weekly visits to the Kinomiya dojo, partly because he'd felt guilty for neglecting his grandfather but also because Daichi would stalk Takao incessantly if he took far too long in putting in an appearance. Ryuunosuke enjoyed the company, Takao and Daichi enjoyed sniping at each other over the dinner table and Kai enjoyed being able to tune out the more annoying aspects of a too-lively mealtime without anyone taking that much notice. Even now, as Kai sipped calmly at his tea while Daichi and Takao yelled at each other in the background, it hadn't escaped his attention that the two of them were really just arguing for the sake of arguing, not because they were disagreeing on anything as such, but because neither one wanted to admit that their relationship had actually begun to improve as of late. They just said the same old things over and over again, and while the volume and pitch of their voices could be somewhat headache inducing, it was also nice to know that there were some things in life that would always stay the same.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times!" Takao was saying to a very miffed-looking Daichi. "You're not supposed to go all-out on a kid who's only an amateur!"

"He just got what was coming to him," Daichi retorted, sticking out his lower lip in a stubborn pout. "Anyone who dares to trash talk the great Daichi-sama is going down!"

"That still doesn't give you permission to smash their blade into pieces!" Takao shot back. "And you wondered why none of the other kids would battle you afterwards."

"They refused to fight because they all know how amazing I am," gloated Daichi. "No one can even come close to matching *my* skills, and that's why I'm number one!"

He gave an ear-splitting screech when Takao grabbed him into a headlock and waved his arms around frantically, spitting out curses that would make even a sailor turn red as Takao worked on cutting Daichi's ego down to size.

"How peaceful," said Ryuunosuke, his expression perfectly serene as he set his cup onto the tabletop. "They just keep getting closer and closer, don't they?"

Kai glanced over at the squabbling pair with mild interest and watched as Daichi managed to reach behind him and give Takao's ponytail a vicious yank, causing Takao to howl in pain and pull Daichi's own hair in retaliation. "They're a lot better than they used to be," said Kai, ignoring the way Takao and Daichi both sent disbelieving glares in his direction.

"We are *not* close," snapped Daichi, wrenching himself away from Takao and composing himself as gracefully as he could considering that his hair was currently standing on end and making him look like he'd just stuck his fingers in a plug socket.

"Now, now," Ryuunosuke warned, smiling at Daichi's disgruntled expression, "don't be like that. Besides, I need you both to co-operate if you're going to run an errand for me."

"An errand?" Takao said curiously. "What kind?"

"It's nothing much," Ryuunosuke told him, reaching into his pocket and taking out a list which he handed over to Takao. "Just a little shopping trip."

"A *little* shopping trip?" Takao echoed, his tone somewhat sceptical as he skimmed over the requested items. "I know Daichi can eat his own body weight in food, but don't you think this is kind of overdoing it?"  
"It's all there for a reason, kiddo," Ryuunosuke said cheerfully. "Be a good boy and do your chores while Kai and I have a manly chat."

"Jii-chan," Takao said warningly, "you'd better not be planning on telling him any more embarrassing childhood stories."

"I wouldn't dream of it," said Ryuunosuke, waving his hands dismissively. "Hurry up and get going, otherwise you'll be late for your surprise!"

Now Takao looked panicked, not that Kai could blame him. A surprise from Kinomiya Ryuunosuke could range from anywhere between 'I got arrested this morning and forgot to tell you until now' and 'I need you to babysit Daichi while Daitenji and I go out clubbing', and judging by the way the old man was grinning from ear to ear, whatever he had hidden up his sleeve was obviously something big.

"What are you planning, Jii-chan?" Takao asked, suspicious. "You'd better not be asking for bail money, because if you've gotten caught by the police again, you're on your own."

"How rude," said Ryuunosuke, offended. "I can't help it if the local authorities insist on cramping my style. They need to stop living in the past and move into the now! I'm hip aren't I? I keep up with the times!"

"The only kind of hip you'll be needing is a replacement," Takao muttered, shaking his head. "Can't you at least *pretend* to act your age? It'd be less embarrassing for me if you did." Ryuunosuke looked like he was about to say something else, but Takao got up from the table and sighed. "Fine, fine, I'll do the shopping. Come on, Daichi, let's go."

Daichi started to protest, but Takao had already grabbed the back of his shirt so that he could drag him out. Their bickering echoed all the way into the hallway, and when the front door slammed shut behind them, Kai could still hear the sound of their voices shouting back and forth. Once he was sure they were gone, he turned his gaze on the remaining Kinomiya who simply stared back at him unflinchingly. Kai could see from Ryuunosuke's eyes that his next words were going to be short and to the point, and he appreciated the old man's frankness.

"Well?" Kai prompted. "What's so important that you couldn't discuss it in front of Takao?"

"It's not something that he needs to know about," Ryuunosuke said wryly. "I tried to have a similar talk with him before, but he didn't handle it too well. I couldn't ask for a better grandson, but it's difficult to get through to him sometimes, and I think you know as well as I do that no one does denial better than Takao."

"So talk," said Kai. "There's no point wasting time."

"You're right," said Ryuunosuke, smiling sadly. "I don't have much more of that left." He sighed and added, "You're a smart kid, Kai. Okay, so you've done some things in the past that weren't too great, but forgive and forget, that's what I always say. Out of all the people on this planet, Takao chose you, and that alone tells me you must be special. That's why I'm going to make the only request I'll ever ask. Look after Takao when I'm gone, won't you?"

Kai couldn't help feeling uneasy when he heard that, and the way Ryuunosuke stared at him so solemnly didn't help either. Like Takao, it seemed so wrong to see the old man being anything other than loud and outgoing. Being serious definitely didn't suit him, but since Ryuunosuke had chosen not to beat around the bush and speak his mind, it was only fair for Kai to pay him the same respect.

"You're not exactly stupid yourself," Kai said bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest. "From what I know, you have better health than a man who's only half your age, so don't start wanting favours that people only ever ask for on their deathbed. It's not dignified."

"Asking for something that you want the most never is," agreed Ryuunosuke. "You're too young to understand this now, but someday you'll get it. Takao may be my grandchild, but I raised him as if he were my own son. I don't know if he's told you this, but his mother died soon after he was born. Takao's father was pretty torn-up when it happened, and I guess we all have different ways of dealing with our grief. He left Takao with me and took off on one of his archaeology projects, and while I wish he hadn't chosen to drown his sorrows with work, he could have decided to drown them in something a whole lot worse instead."

"In other words, he abandoned Takao," said Kai, not even bothering to force down the guilt that came with remembering just how many times he himself had walked out of Takao's life without looking back.

"That's a little harsh," Ryuunosuke defended mildly. "Like I said, different people have different ways of coping. Some of them are good and some of them are bad, but in the end, it all boils down to the same thing. I don't resent being the one to bring up Takao, and I don't regret a single moment of it. I've seen his first smile, his first steps, his first day at school and his first beyblade tournament, and even though Takao is the most important thing in my life, I also know that there's a time when every parent has to let go of their child, whether they want to or not. That's why I'm trusting you to take care of him in my absence. I've done all I can for Takao, and the only thing left now is to pass on the baton. Don't ever give me reason to leave that great bingo hall in the sky and haunt your ass, you hear?" Ryuunosuke grinned and then added, "Oh, and if Takao asks what we've been talking about, just tell him I showed you the baby pictures again. That ought to put a stop to his curiosity."

The old man seemed to be back in his usual good humour as he slapped Kai heartily on the back, but Kai's head was swimming with what he'd just heard. In his own way, Ryuunosuke had given Kai his blessing, and more than that, he'd given Kai the same sort of acceptance he'd only ever received from Takao until now. The most frustrating thing was that he couldn't articulate how much it meant to him, but when Ryuunosuke gave Kai the same kind smile he so often saw on Takao's face, he knew that he didn't have to say anything. Neither one of them would probably acknowledge this conversation again in words, but even so, it wasn't something they were ever going to forget. Takao returned soon after with Daichi, who Kai ended up keeping an eye on while Takao helped his grandfather in the kitchen. He could hear their voices carrying clearly to where he and Daichi were, and while Daichi sat with his eyes half closed and a blissful expression adorning his face as he savoured the smell of a meal being freshly prepared, Kai listened to what the elder and the younger Kinomiya were saying.

"Jii-chan, you still haven't told me why we're making so much food," Takao complained, washing the vegetables he'd just finished chopping. "Are you being lazy and planning to live off left-overs for the rest of the week?"

"I have my reasons," Ryuunosuke replied mysteriously, but that only served to make Takao even more curious.

"How much longer are you going to keep this big secret from me?" he asked, ducking when the old man aimed a warning swat at his head with the spatula. "And what does it have to do with dinner?"

Ryuunosuke looked over at the clock on the wall and then over his shoulder out into the hallway. "Give it another five or ten minutes and you'll see for yourself soon enough."

Sure enough, a knock sounded at the front door less than a quarter of an hour later. Takao finished up the last of the preparations while Ryuunosuke went to answer their guest, but just when he'd wiped his hands dry on the dishcloth, he nearly dropped it in shock when he saw who his grandfather had brought into the house. "Nii-chan!" he shouted, running over to where Hitoshi stood at the entrance of the room and launching himself into his arms. "I've missed you so much! Why didn't you let me know that you were coming home?"

"It was meant to be a surprise," Hitoshi said wryly, giving Takao a quick hug before gently pushing him away. "It would have spoiled the whole thing if I'd called to tell you in advance." "You could have said *something*," Takao pouted, keeping his arms linked loosely around Hitoshi's waist, unwilling to let him go right away. "It's been almost a year since we last saw each other!"

"I know, squirt," Hitoshi said, ruffling Takao's hair fondly, "and a promise is a promise. You wanted me to bring this back, right?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar tri-coloured hat, brushing it off before giving it to Takao. "It's a little rumpled, but otherwise wearable. I told you I wouldn't damage it in any way."

"Thanks," Takao said gratefully, finally releasing his hold and taking back his hat, choosing to keep it in his hand instead of putting it on. "It's no wonder Jii-chan wanted to make such a huge dinner. I guess you really do have to make a lot when you're feeding five people."

"We're still one member short," Hitoshi corrected, smiling at the shock on Takao's face when Ryuunosuke led their final visitor inside. "I think it's been a while since your paths last crossed."

Takao lowered his head slightly, his current bashfulness odd for one so usually exuberant. "Hi, Tou-chan," he said in a small voice, nodding in greeting. "Now, now, you don't have to be so shy around your own father," Ryuunosuke chided. "He's come a long way to see you!"

Takao continued to hang back, but Daichi regarded the new arrival with obvious interest. "You're Takao's dad?" he asked, cocking his head. "You don't look like him. Does this mean he takes after his mom?"

"Don't be so rude," Takao hissed, but Ryuunosuke chortled loudly. "He does have a point," the eldest Kinomiya said, patting Daichi on the head and turning to his only son. "It's about time we made a few introductions. Tatsuya, this little monkey is Sumeragi Daichi. He's a friend and teammate of Takao's."

"Takao and me were number one in the last tag team world championships!" announced Daichi proudly, puffing out his chest. "Just you wait until the next tournament, though. That's when I'll be number one all on my own! Remember my name, old man!"

"I *told* you not to be rude!" Takao scolded, but his father simply laughed at Daichi's enthusiasm. "It's always a pleasure to meet a friend of Takao's," said Tatsuya, shaking Daichi by the hand, who grinned up at him broadly. "And this is Hiwatari Kai," Ryuunosuke said, gesturing to the last member of their group, "but I guess you already knew that, huh?"

A sudden tension fell over the room as Kai and Takao's father regarded each other warily, but then Tatsuya smiled again. It wasn't as warm as it had been when he'd greeted Daichi, but his tone was calm when he spoke. "Good evening, Kai," he said quietly. "It's been a while."

Kai nodded curtly and Takao let out a sigh of gratitude when his grandfather clapped his hands to get their attention. "Now that we've got the formalities out of the way, let's dig in!"

Dinner was a very rowdy affair. Takao questioned Hitoshi on what he'd been up to since they'd parted ways and Daichi chipped in every now and again as Ryuunosuke occasionally voiced his approval of a certain topic or told outrageous jokes, one of which ended with Daichi throwing peas at his head for coming up with such a lame punch line. Although it wasn't exactly uncomfortable, Kai was still relieved when Takao beckoned him onto the porch after the two of them had finished clearing the table. Takao closed the sliding door shut behind them, leaving only a small gap for the light of the house to spill between. It was cool outside, but Kai wasn't about to complain as Takao sat down at his side, and the two of them stared up at the moon shining above them in silence before Takao turned to Kai with a teasing tilt to his lips. "It must be pretty tough dealing with three generations of Kinomiya males all in the same evening. How're you holding up?"

"I'll live," Kai said dryly, and Takao laughed, batting his eyelashes and pretending to swoon into Kai's arms.

"My hero," he said dramatically, making Kai give a soft snort of exasperation. Takao's laughter died down, but he nestled deeper into Kai's embrace, closing his eyes and pressing his nose against the hollow of Kai's throat. Kai just held him as the brisk evening air closed around them, listening to the sound of Takao's breathing. "I love you," Takao murmured suddenly, making Kai draw back just enough so that he could look at him.

"What was that for?" Kai inquired, smiling in spite of himself at Takao's affectionate expression.

"No real reason." Takao reached up to brush his fingertips over Kai's cheek and Kai caught Takao's hand, holding it in place. "Well, that and you always give me the nicest smile whenever I say it."  
"It's not something I can help," replied Kai. "No one ever said it before you."

"Then I'll have to tell you at least twelve times a day," Takao said matter-of-factly. "You're going to get sick of hearing it soon."

"No," said Kai, "I won't."

That made Takao beam sunshine at him, and he squeezed his arms tighter around Kai's neck before resting his head happily on Kai's shoulder. "You and Jii-chan seem to be getting along pretty well these days," he remarked idly. "I'm not sure if I like that or not. He's a bad influence."

"He showed me baby pictures while you were out," said Kai, smirking at Takao's stricken expression. He knew he ought to have felt bad about lying, even if it was only a tiny untruth, but Takao was reacting exactly as Ryuunosuke had predicted. "I swear he goes out of his way to embarrass me sometimes," Takao groaned, hiding his face against Kai's neck. "Then again, I guess I ought to be thankful that he only showed them to you and not some television crew. It was bad enough when some reporter caught him after we won our first world tournament and he decided to tell her all my most humiliating childhood stories."

"He only does it because he's so proud of you," Kai argued, but Takao shook his head. "He does it because he loves seeing me squirm. Still, it is kind of nice that he accepts you, even if he is insane. I just want the people I care about most to get along, you know?" Takao sighed and his tone grew wistful. "I wish you and Nii-chan didn't hate each other so much."

"I don't hate him," Kai replied automatically. "He just pisses me off."

"And you never think highly of anyone who tries to get in the way of your goals," Takao said in bemusement. "You don't have to make threats or launch your beyblade at people's heads if they happen to disagree with you, though."

"I do if they're trying to keep you out of my reach," said Kai. "It's regrettable that he's your brother and that he means so much to you, but there are some things I can't forgive him for."

"I'm not asking for you to be the best of friends," Takao said, rubbing his thumb slowly over the back of Kai's neck. "All I want is for you to keep the hostility at a minimum. You can glare at each other all you like, but I'd be really sad if you ever fought seriously. Even if Nii-chan doesn't approve of it, he at least respects the fact that I chose to be with you. He won't try driving us apart again anytime soon. I wouldn't let him."  
"And what about your father?" Kai wanted to know.

"Honestly?" said Takao. "I'm not sure what he thinks. He's being civil to you, so it's a good start. They're all giving out mixed reactions, though. Jii-chan is being positive, Tou-chan is being neutral and Nii-chan is being negative. It'd be nice if the three of them could just agree on one thing and save me a headache, but I'm not going to change my mind for anything. Even if my whole family were against you, I'd just defy them and be with you anyway."

"Don't say things like that," ordered Kai. "Maybe family doesn't mean much to me, but I know how important it is to you. Don't ever throw that away."

"I won't," Takao said patiently, "and in case you've missed it, *you're* important to me, too. I love my family more than anything, but I love you, as well. It's a different kind of love, and I know it's not the most conventional, but it doesn't alter the fact that you're my most precious person." Kai looked as though he wanted to argue, but Takao shushed him by placing a finger over his lips. "Don't even start with all the 'I'm not worthy' stuff, because I'm not going to listen. It only means that I still have to work on your insecurity and self-esteem."

Takao moved his finger away and leaned up so that he could scatter tiny little kisses over Kai's face, kissing his lips, his eyes, his forehead, anywhere his mouth could reach. Kai swept him into a bone-crushing hug, knowing that he was holding Takao far too tightly but receiving no protest about his lack of restraint. He needed the closeness, needed to hear the words Takao kept whispering into his ear, needed the love Takao gave to him so freely. He'd very nearly taken that love for granted, but now he knew that it was something to be honoured and treasured, something he'd never give up without a fight. As usual, however, Takao had given him something to think about. Kai had been wondering for a while now about family and what it meant, and when Takao looked up at him questioningly, Kai decided to say what was on his mind. "It's been over four years now since my grandfather was imprisoned," he stated suddenly.

"Are you still mad at him?" Takao asked gently. "Not anymore," admitted Kai, "but I thought maybe I ought to go visit sometime. That must sound stupid, right?"

"No, it doesn't," said Takao. "He's mean and creepy and he's done a lot of horrible things, but he's still your only living relative, and it's good that you want to try talking to him again. Actually, I'm kind of pleased you made that suggestion. It shows how far you've come since getting away from his control."

"And if it turns out to be a complete disaster?" asked Kai.

"It's still a place to start," Takao replied. "Your relationship is bad enough already, so it can only get better. All you can do is try, right?"

Even so, Kai couldn't fight the nervousness that gnawed at his stomach later on that week when he went to make good on his suggestion. He didn't like facing the unknown, but he wasn't about to back down from it now that he'd made up his mind and, a steely expression of determination fixed firmly on his face, he allowed the prison guards to check and search him before following them into one of the visiting rooms. It was fairly small and had no windows, just a door on either side and four tables placed out evenly. Only one of them was empty and Kai sat down at it, composing himself by presenting a deceptively relaxed posture as he took note of the other occupants. A middle-aged woman sat on his left and in front of him was a teenage girl with bubblegum pink hair and a young man who looked to be in his late twenties. No one gave him any sign of recognition and even the guards never gave him a second glance. The door furthest away from Kai opened suddenly and he watched as four of the prisoners were escorted inside. It was only when the two men standing in front of him moved away that Kai caught the first glimpse of his grandfather that he'd had in years.

The biggest surprise was how much he seemed to have changed since he last saw him. He was thinner now and more drawn, but he still carried himself with a regal air as he walked over to Kai's table and sat down opposite him. Kai waited for the same fear and apprehension to surface that he'd always felt when facing his grandfather, but it never came. It was bitterness and regret that left a nasty taste in the back of his mouth this time, but again to Kai's surprise, none of his previous hatred came along with them. Although the old man continued to give off the impression of being superior to all those in his presence, Hiwatari Souichiro looked a sorry sight indeed in Kai's eyes. The grandfather he remembered had always been tall and imposing, but now he was starting to look his age. More startling than that was the fact that Souichiro was actually starting to resemble a normal person.

While the side of Kai that couldn't quite let go of his grudge experienced a perverse sort of pleasure at seeing his grandfather being forced to act like just another member of the human race, the rest of him couldn't help thinking that it was so wrong to see such a proud man being reduced to a shadow of his former self, in spite of all that he'd done to deserve his punishment. In any case, Souichiro wasn't the only one who had changed. Kai was no longer the frightened and naive child that he had been when he'd first met his grandfather. He was older and wiser now, and while he wasn't even close to offering forgiveness, the very least he could do was attempt to find a measure of understanding of the grandfather who had so often raised his voice to him, but never once his hand.

Folding his hands neatly on the tabletop, Souichiro fixed Kai with eyes that were as grey as his hair, regarding him wordlessly for a moment before finally saying to him, "I see you're looking well. These past four years have obviously been kinder to you than they have been to me."

"I suppose," Kai said blandly, waiting to see just where his grandfather was trying to take the conversation. "And the company?"

"It's fine. You're lucky you had such a competent vice-president supporting you, otherwise things would have been a lot different."

"I see." Souichiro raised his eyebrows. "How is the Kinomiya boy?"

"Don't you dare bring Takao into this," Kai warned. "He has nothing to do with you."

"That child was my downfall," Souichiro corrected mildly. "It's lamentable that I never got the chance to study him and his sacred spirit in more detail, but if you hadn't betrayed me and used Black Dranzer like I told you to, I'm sure things would have turned out even more differently."

"I never betrayed you," said Kai, frowning. "I'm your grandson, not a tool. I don't follow orders mindlessly." "Yes, you always were rebellious," said Souichiro, smiling humourlessly. "Just like your father. The affections of a woman turned him soft in heart and in mind. It's unfortunate that the same thing has happened to you, but more unfortunate still that you won't produce any future heirs."

"I wasn't born to be a homosexual any more than I was born to be a weapon," Kai said evenly. "I follow my own path in life, and if that means letting the Hiwatari name and bloodline die out, so be it."  
"You're as foolish as you are selfish," Souichiro remarked. "Such deviance was never permitted in my day."

"Deviance?" scoffed Kai. "Is that what you call it?"

"And what would *you* call it?" inquired Souichiro.

"Me?" smirked Kai. "Simple. I call it love."

Takao was still laughing about it when Kai told him what had happened over dinner, and his amusement showed no sign of disappearing as the two of them washed and dried dishes together in the kitchen. "It looks like all the worrying I did was for nothing," he said as he leaned back against the counter top and watched Kai putting away the last of the plates. "Here I was thinking that he might do something really awful, but all you did was waltz in there and tell him off."

"I didn't tell him off," said Kai, closing the cupboard door and narrowly avoiding getting a face full of soap bubbles from Takao for his efforts. "I merely spoke my mind." Takao pouted playfully when Kai pushed him away, but rinsed the suds obediently and wiped his hands off on the dishcloth before winding his arms around Kai's waist and snuggling up against him with a sigh of contentment. "So how was it? Apart from the whole putting your grandfather in his place, I mean."

"It was awkward," confessed Kai. "He's changed over the years, but underneath all that, he's still the same person. He's not so driven anymore, just resigned I think. He mentioned you more than once, and I told him to back off. He seemed disappointed that he never got the chance to turn you into one of his lab rats, not to mention his inability to mould me into a perfect carbon copy of himself."

"I'll bet," Takao said lightly, rubbing a hand over Kai's shoulder blades. "You don't regret seeing him, though, do you?"

"No," Kai said truthfully. "I'm glad I went to visit him. If anything, it helped put a lot of old ghosts to rest. We're no closer to understanding each other now than we were four years ago, but at least we're starting to see each other as people. It's not much, but it's better than it once was. You were right. I'm beginning to get a little disturbed by how accurate you tend to be these days."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Takao retorted, pinching Kai's hip as payback. "Maybe I'm not book smart like you, but I *am* people smart. More importantly, I just want things to get even better for you. You've had some of the lousiest luck ever, so it's only fair for life to work out for you instead of throwing rotten situations in your direction."  
"Really?" said Kai, smiling ever so slightly.

"Yeah," Takao told him softly. "Really."

Kai bent down so that their foreheads were pressed together and closed his eyes, just revelling in Takao's proximity, and then, finally, he said, "Let's go to bed."

"But it's still early," said Takao, his voice curious.

"I know that," Kai stated, opening his eyes again and staring into Takao's, waiting until he got the hint. "Okay," Takao said at last, his lips curving upwards, trusting Kai without question, just like always. Together they made their way upstairs, Takao making himself comfortable on the bed while Kai closed the door behind them. He turned to stare at Takao and would have taken in the sight a lot longer if Takao hadn't gotten lonely and beckoned him over. For a long time they lay side by side on the mattress, facing each other but having no contact between their bodies except for their mouths, which they used to soothe and tease and reassure. When Takao eventually reached out and pulled Kai over him, though, Kai just shook his head. "Not like this," he murmured.

"Then what?" said Takao, his eyes widening when Kai rolled them over so that he was lying on top. "Kai?"

"I want to finish what I started this afternoon," said Kai, his words stumbling like an unsteady dancer, honest and open and vulnerable as he raised his hands so that he could cup one of them to Takao's face and the other to the back of his neck. "I want to let go. For the first time in my life, I'm not doing anything against my will or because it's what other people expect from me. I'm doing it because it feels right. I *want* to give you this. I want to give you *me*."

And just like that he surrendered the one thing he'd clung to for as long as he d remembered. He didn't need to relinquish his control by force or by protest. He just did it because he could. He did it because it was easier than he'd ever imagined. He did it because it was Takao and because Takao was the one who had set him free. Takao was smiling again as he propped himself up above Kai, making himself comfortable before reaching out and mimicking Kai's gesture by letting his palm rest lightly against Kai's cheek. Kai moved his own hands and placed them over Takao's shoulders, rubbing at them through the thin cotton fabric of his tee shirt. Takao sighed and shifted, resting most of his body weight on his forearms, but even so, he wasn't heavy, and Kai pulled him down closer still, tilting his head up as Takao bridged the distance between them and let his mouth close over Kai's.

At first, they shared sweet and simple kisses, neither one of them in any great rush. Kai's world was a swirling mass of sensation as he felt blindly along Takao's back, slipping his fingers under his tee shirt and meeting smooth, supple skin. Takao reciprocated by moving away just enough to start unfastening the buttons on Kai's shirt, popping them open one by one before removing the shirt with care, pulling off his own along with it. Kai had noted before that Takao seemed to be growing far too talented with his hands and Takao didn't hesitate to remind him of that fact as his fingers slid sinuously over Kai's bare chest, sending little licks of fire along his limbs as he sought out and exploited any sensitive spot he could find. He'd grown so familiar with Kai's body now that he knew exactly where to touch and how to please him, drawing quiet gasps and faint moans from the one beneath him and swallowing those soft sounds when he let his lips gravitate back to Kai's, kissing him lightly at first, before moving a hand under Kai's neck and forcing his mouth up hard.

Takao's previous gentleness disappeared as the kiss grew hotter and deeper, his excitement growing along with it when Kai let his legs part so that Takao's lower body could settle between them. His hands had wandered up to Takao's shoulders once more, one of them running down the length of his spine before reaching the dip at the small of his back and pushing at it, shuddering when Takao rocked against him in response. It didn't take much longer to rid themselves of the rest of their clothing and, after making the necessary preparations, they wasted no more time seeking out completion. It was something new and different to experience Takao moving inside him, his rhythm seductive and hypnotic, and Kai clutched at him as Takao took him higher and higher, unguarded and uninhibited, as he'd never been before. Every nerve in his body was singing with pure pleasure, and all he could see and hear and feel was Takao. He couldn't think, could barely even breathe, drowning as he was in sight and sound and touch. He couldn't hold on any longer, couldn't take any more, and that was when his whole world exploded in a dazzling array of colour and light as he succumbed to the shudders and spasms of release. Takao followed soon after, calling Kai's name on a choking sob as his thrusts eventually slowed and then stopped, both of them exhausted and trembling and clinging to one another as they concentrated on coming back to themselves. There was still so much that Kai wanted to say, but when he met Takao's eyes with his own, Takao simply shook his head and smiled, tiredly, tenderly, and Kai didn't feel like ruining the moment with unnecessary speech. He knew Takao would understand. He always did.


	12. Twelve

Title: Out of Sight

Author: Triste

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Pairing: Kai/Takao

Rating: R

Status: Complete (12/12)

Disclaimer: Not mine

A BBA team reunion was hard to come by these days, now that its members had all gone their separate ways, but when Rei had called each of them to offer an invite to his daughter's first birthday party, they'd all made an effort to gather for the occasion. Max had flown in from America to meet up with Takao, Kai, Kyoujuu, Daichi and Hiromi in Japan, and together, they'd flown from there to China. Even though Rin herself hadn't been old enough to appreciate the celebration being thrown for her, it was still as important to her parents as it was to the rest of the close-knit group of friends. With the exception of Max, who had visited Rei a few months previously, most of them were getting to see Rin in person for the first time, and their main goal of the day was to spoil her rotten. "After all," said Max, flitting around and taking pictures from every angle, "you only ever get to celebrate your first birthday once."

Rei just smiled proudly, watching as Takao took his turn in holding Rin, who seemed particularly taken with him as she grabbed his index and middle finger with her own two tiny hands and gave him a toothless smile.

"Is she starting to talk yet?" asked Takao curiously.

"She makes a lot of strange noises, but nothing resembling actual words yet," replied Mao, sounding somewhat absent-minded since she was currently sitting behind Takao and working his hair into a braid.

"She did say something that *kind* of sounded like 'papa' last week, though," said Rei.

"Don't be silly," contradicted Mao. "She was trying to say 'mama', obviously. That'll be her first word."

"How can you be so sure?" countered Rei, arching on eyebrow.

"Because I'm her mother and I know best," Mao said confidently. "And while we're on the subject, would you *please* do something about Tao-sensei? I'm getting tired of him trying to teach Rin how to say things like 'panties' and 'boobies'."

Rei laughed awkwardly, then paled under Mao's warning glance. "Yes, dear. I'll talk to him."

Takao snickered to himself but said nothing, not when Mao was still in a position to give his hair a very vicious yank should he care to make her angry. Instead he turned his attention back to Rin, who continued to stare up at him intently.

"At least she knows a good-looking guy when she sees one," Takao joked. "Look, she can't take her eyes off me."

Rin made a little cooing noise and Takao's smile widened as he begun a conversation with her.

"You think I'm handsome?" he asked, inclining his head and pretending to listen to the gurgle she gave in response. "Well that's great, because I think you're cute."

Rin giggled and Rei held up a hand. "Whoa there, Takao," he said, looking amused. "Don't you think she's a little too young for flirting?"

"You're only one year old and already your daddy is being horribly overprotective," Takao whispered to Rin, who giggled again and kicked her feet. "It's going to be hell once you start going through puberty."  
"I'll let her date," Rei said amiably, "but only after I've given every potential boyfriend a thorough investigation."

"Interrogation, you mean," smirked Mao, taking off the band from around her wrist and twisting it into Takao's hair before leaning back to admire the end result. "All done," she added, patting Takao on the shoulder. "Your hair's getting pretty long now, though. Don't you want to get it cut?"

"Kai forbid it," Takao said, trying and failing to hide a smile. "He likes it better this way."

Rei's expression turned sly, but Kai just gave him an answering glower. "Mind your own business," he grunted, but Max had sensed an opportunity to tease, and he pounced before it could pass him by.

"Sounds like someone's got a fetish!" he sang, raising the camera to his face and snapping a picture of the still-scowling Kai before darting away to a safer place. "Anyway," said Kyoujuu loudly, "it's good that we could all make it to the party, don't you think?"

"Rin-chan's birthday fell at a pretty convenient time," remarked Hiromi. "We've only just graduated, so we have a whole three months to spare before going off to college."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there," Rei said sadly. "I wanted to come, but-"

"Hey, no worries," Takao interrupted. "You're pretty busy yourself. Besides, we took tons of photos so that you see what happened on our graduation day. Show him, Kyoujuu."

Kyoujuu rummaged in his bag and took out said pictures, passing them to Rei and frowning thoughtfully. "We should buy an album for them," he said. "To put the good ones in, I mean. I'm not sure I want to keep the pictures Daichi took..."

"Are you trying to say that I'm a lousy photographer?" Daichi said menacingly.

"N-Not at all!" stammered Kyoujuu, backing away. "It's just never a good idea to get a short person to take pictures when he can't even see over the top of the crowd..."

Rei flipped through each photograph in turn and then landed on one that seemed to catch his interest most. "I see your grandfather attempted to storm the stage with a sword," he said to Takao.  
Takao's smile suddenly became very strained. "Yeah..."  
Rei flipped to the next picture and then gave something suspiciously similar to a stifled snort. "I see your grandfather also got hauled away by security."

"They thought he was trying to attack the principle," Takao answered, looking as though he'd rather erase the memory from his mind permanently. "It was even more embarrassing than Hiromi sobbing her way through our graduation sing-a-long."

"But it was really touching!" Hiromi protested, going teary-eyed at the mere mention.

"There was nothing special about it!" Takao argued. "It's just the standard graduation song!"

"I was so moved by it!" Hiromi said, clasping her hands under her chin and sighing wistfully. "When you think about how our three years of high school passed by just like that... Well, it brings the message home that time is precious!"

"Yeah, yeah," said Takao, making a face. "You still didn't have to *cry*, though."

Hiromi narrowed her eyes dangerously. "If you weren't holding a baby on your lap right now I'd hurt you."

Rei was the one to diffuse the tension this time and he tried to make Hiromi forget her murderous impulses by saying, "So, what are you guys planning to do now that you've graduated?"

"I'm off to nursing school," Hiromi announced impressively. "It'll take another few years yet before I'm fully qualified, and I'll have to get a part-time job in order to make ends meet, but I'm definitely going to do my best!"

"And what about you, Kyoujuu?" Rei said kindly. "You mean he hasn't told you the big news yet?" asked Hiromi. "It's not *that* big," denied Kyoujuu, looking more than a little sheepish. "My mother wanted me to apply for a foreign university, but I prefer to stay in Tokyo where I can still be close to everyone."

"So what's the news?" prompted Rei impatiently.

"I told you, it's really not that impressive," Kyoujuu said bashfully, "but Daitenji-kaichou has asked me to be his successor once I finish my degree."

"Not impressive?" repeated Max incredulously. "You're the future head of the BBA and you're saying it's no big deal?"

"I'd call that a pretty big break," said Rei, giving a low whistle. "But still, I'm proud of you, Kyoujuu."

"We're *all* proud of you," Hiromi said firmly, hugging Kyoujuu briefly and making him turn the colour of a ripe tomato.

"In that case, I guess I should do my best, too," he stuttered, adjusting the glasses that Hiromi had knocked askew in her enthusiasm. "For the future of beyblading, and for my friends, I'm going to give it my all!"

"That's the spirit," Takao told him, beaming brightly. "The BBA couldn't be in safer hands!"

"And what about you?" inquired Rei, glancing questioningly at Takao. "What are your plans now?"

"To be honest, I haven't really thought about it," Takao admitted. "I guess I'll either go to college or inherit the family dojo. No matter which one I choose, I'll still keep running my beyblading classes."  
"You could go into teaching as a profession," suggested Max. "You've always been good with children."

"Probably because he's still such a big kid himself," Hiromi teased.

Rei tilted his head inquisitively at Takao. "Would children be on the cards for you in the near future?"

"Are you crazy?" Takao said dismissively. "I could never have kids."

"Actually," said Kyoujuu, "I've come up with a simple scientific equation that would allow me to bypass the most basic laws of nature by getting a human male to gestate in much the same manner as a female. I'd be honoured for you to become my first test subject."

Takao's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly before Kyoujuu decided to put him out of his misery.

"It's a joke, Takao. I wasn't being serious."

Max snickered loudly, slapping his thighs and nearly doubling over with laughter. "Oh, he *totally* had you going there, Takao," he gasped. "You should have seen the look on your face!"  
"Don't joke about stuff like that," said Takao, shuddering. "It's disturbing, especially when you say it in such a serious voice!"

"You're just miffed because he got you big time," Hiromi said smugly, ignoring the way Takao stuck his tongue out at her. "Hey, hey, hey!" Daichi broke in, waving his arms to get their attention. "You don't have to talk about Takao all the time. You should talk about me instead! Kyoujuu isn't the only one with big news!"

"So I heard," said Rei. "We have ourselves a brand new world champion."

"Oh yeah," Hiromi said mildly. "I forgot about that."

But rather than getting annoyed and yelling, Daichi just folded his arms over his chest and smirked. "I guess it can't be helped. After all, you're an old woman, so it's no surprise that your memory would be failing you."

"You little runt!" Hiromi thundered, snatching Max's camera away and aiming it at Daichi's head.

"Ah, don't break it!" cried Max. "If you have to throw something at him, choose an object that's less expensive!"

Rin shifted in Takao's arms and stretched, making a grumpy face at the disturbance and causing Takao to send the others a warning glance. "Shh! Keep it down!"

"Sorry," Hiromi and Daichi mumbled in unison, looking abashed. "Still, it was something of a surprise to hear that you'd joined up with Neo Borg," continued Rei, keeping his voice deliberately quiet in order to avoid a crying fit from Rin in her bad temper.

"It wasn't like I had anyone else to go to after the BBA team disbanded," shrugged Daichi. "You, Takao and Kai are all retired now, and Kyoujuu never liked competing in the first place. Max was the only one left, but he went back to the guys at the PPB, so Yuriy asked me if I wanted to participate with his team."

"The last battle was a close one, though," announced Hiromi. "In the end, it all came down to that final match between the PPB and Neo Borg. Yuriy wanted his revenge against Rick for the last world tournament, and Daichi nearly lost to Max."

"That's because he cheated," snapped Daichi.

"You cheated?" Rei asked Max, curious. "That's not really your style."

"It wasn't *really* cheating," grinned Max. "Daichi was trying to psyche me out, so I got my own back by threatening to douse him all over with mayonnaise. He nearly threw up into the bey stadium when I said that."

"I totally lost my concentration because of you!" Daichi whined. "It was a rotten dirty trick!"

"You have to admit that it was funny," Hiromi giggled. "They put a huge-close up of your face on the jumbo screen and you looked like you'd just stepped off an airplane. Your skin was so grey, I thought you were starting to decompose."

Daichi opened his mouth, presumably to holler some insult back at Hiromi, but Takao shushed him again when Rin stirred restlessly. "While we're on the subject," Max began, leaning over Takao's shoulder and tickling the soles of Rin's feet, "will Rin-chan inherit Driger when she grows up, or will she inherit Galux?"

The look that Rei and Mao shared then was so intense that it could have blistered all the paint off the surrounding walls. Judging by the fiercely competitive aura that had just sprung up around them, it had been one particular argument that they'd had many times before.

"*I'd* like for her to have Driger," said Rei, "but I'm sure Mao would be inclined to disagree."

"Rin will inherit Galux, of course," said Mao, smiling in a very stern sort of way.

"Maybe Rin-chan should decide for herself which one she wants?" Max tried, but that only seemed to fuel Mao's competitive nature even more.

"Your Uncle Max has a point, Rin," she said sweetly, fixing the baby's attention solidly on herself. "Decide for yourself which one you want the most!"

Rin blinked at Mao and then Rei, but then something else caught her eye. Daichi was sitting near Takao's side and had taken out his Gaia Dragoon to examine it and, quick as a flash, Rin let go of Takao's fingers in order to grab Daichi's beyblade instead, guiding it to her mouth and gnawing on it.

"That's mine!" wailed Daichi. "Give it back!"

But Rin just cooed in contentment, unwilling to give up her new toy just yet.

"Eww, she's getting drool over it! Make her stop!" Daichi pleaded. "Looks like Rin-chan has spoken," Max said laughingly. "It's an unusual choice, but I think she's happy with it."

"No way!" Daichi said miserably. "It's my most prized possession! Tou-chan gave it to me before he died, so I can't ever lose it!"

"Let her chew on it for a while," Hiromi scolded gently. "It's not like she has teeth to damage it with yet."

Daichi crossed his arms over his chest and sniffed resentfully as Rin kept his beyblade clutched close. Max snapped a picture of his pouting face for good measure and Daichi swatted him away irritably. Rei watched in amusement but then blinked in surprise when he noticed they were one member short.

"Don't tell me Kai's disappeared to plot and brood somewhere again," he said, looking slightly disappointed. "He never even got to take his turn holding Rin."

"I guess it can't be helped," Takao reasoned, handing Rin back over to Mao carefully. "I'll go look for him."

"Bring him back before we cut the cake!" urged Max. "You won't get any for yourself if you're late!"

Takao gave a wave of acknowledgement and then slipped away, stretching leisurely as he stepped outside and then placing his hands on his hips as he wondered where best to start searching. Fortunately, Rei's village was small, so that meant Kai's hiding places were fairly limited. Takao found him without much effort, but instead of going right up to Kai, he hung back for a moment, just taking in the sight that met his eyes.

Kai was lying on his back with his arms folded under his head, his eyes closed and a serene expression on his face. The sun was just beginning to set, casting fading light and dappled shadow over Kai's skin, turning its usual paleness into a handsome golden glow, and when Kai slowly opened his eyes and inclined his head in his direction, Takao felt himself falling in love all over again. Smiling fondly, he walked over to the spot where Kai lay, sitting down cross-legged behind him and motioning for Kai to move closer so that he could rest his head in Takao's lap. One of Takao's arms snaked over his chest immediately once Kai had settled and he moved the other further up so that he could play with Kai's bangs, winding them round his fingers before smoothing them out of his face.

"You're missing the party," he chided, stroking Kai's forehead with his thumb. "Was the noise starting to bug you already?"

"I just felt like being outside for a while," replied Kai, closing his eyes again and leaning into Takao's touch.

Takao stayed silent for a few minutes, just staring at the sinking sun in the distance. He knew that while Kai would sometimes let him know what was on his mind without any prompting from Takao's part, as long as he was patient enough, he also knew that Kai occasionally needed a little push in the right direction with some things. Right now it seemed as though Kai needed one of those nudges and, after another few seconds of slipping his fingers through Kai's hair, Takao moved his hand away and let it still on Kai's shoulder.

"So, what's on your mind?" he said. "Rei figured you'd come out here to brood over something, and I'm pretty sure that he was right. Is something the matter?"

"I needed to think," began Kai, talking slowly and sounding grateful for the fact that Takao wasn't rushing him, "about what Rei mentioned earlier. About the future."

Takao allowed Kai to fall into another brief silence. They'd never discussed any sort of future before, and he was interested to see what Kai had to say. That was why he gave Kai another gentle prompt before squeezing his shoulder and saying, "Care to fill me in on those thoughts?"

Kai's previously peaceful expression turned introspective as a frown appeared on his face, letting Takao know without words that whatever he'd been thinking about hadn't been completely positive. Takao might have been nervous if he wasn't so familiar with Kai by now, and he knew better than to jump to conclusions, instead preferring to let Kai voice his own opinion before adding to or challenging it with his own. Ever since they'd both resolved to be more honest with each other, their relationship had improved for the better. Sometimes Takao found himself appreciating Kai saying what he really felt, but other times Kai's frankness could have an entirely different effect.

When Takao had made his first ever cake to celebrate Kai's twentieth birthday, Kai had been quick to tell him that it 'tasted like crap'. Takao had never taken criticism very well and, hurt and offended, he'd locked himself in the bathroom to nurse his wounded pride for an hour. He'd apologised for overreacting later, and he'd even seen the funny side of things when he realised that he'd forgotten to add sugar into the mix. Kai hadn't laughed or made fun of him, though. He'd just said in his usual upfront manner that Takao had learned from the experience and knew not to make the same mistake twice and together, they'd managed to accomplish what Takao alone had not. There were other things, too. Birthdays and anniversaries weren't the only things they'd celebrated with each other over the past couple of years.

Although Kai had tried to brush his first promotion at work off as no big deal, Takao hadn't been willing to let him get away with ignoring it. He'd made reservations for them at a fancy restaurant and then brought Kai back home for an altogether more private experience. Then there had been Takao's graduation. Kai hadn't said anything in as many words, but when Takao had picked his face out of the crowd as he went on stage to collect his diploma, the warmth and pride in Kai's eyes had been as clear as day. The good and the bad... it all came together in the end. What they had wasn't perfect, not by a long shot, but even with the arguments and the occasional misunderstandings, Takao would never have it any other way. He and Kai complimented each other's strengths, just like they made up for each other's weaknesses. They d grown together and learned together, but more importantly, they d been making memories together, memories that they could look back on and treasure.

"Rei was right, you know," Kai said finally.

"About what?" Takao said, moving his hand again and resting it lightly over Kai's, telling him silently that he'd wait however long it took for Kai to confide in him. "About the fact that you're good with children."  
Takao grinned wryly. "As much as I hate to agree with Hiromi sometimes, she was right, too. I get on with kids so well because it's better than having to act my own age."

"That's not what I meant," Kai stated. "I guess it finally hit me when I saw you holding Rei's daughter. You still chose to be with me, even though there are things that I could never give you."

"I have everything I need right here," Takao reminded him, linking his fingers loosely around Kai's. "There's not much point in asking for more."

"But you *deserve* more," said Kai, an undercurrent of urgency in his quiet voice. "Rei has a marriage and a family. You should have those things, too, but you'll never get them, not while you're with me."

"So that's what this is all about," Takao said, rolling his eyes. "Kai, I'd hit you if I didn't love you so much. I thought I'd managed to get it through your head that you won't be able to pry me away with a crowbar?"

"I know, but-"

"Then quit putting yourself down all the time. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. Well, I might need to use the bathroom in a while, but that doesn't really count." Takao sighed at the look of frustration on Kai's face and he clasped their fingers tighter together. "I know how much you hate being told you can't do something, but that's just how it is. We're both guys, so we can't get married and we can't reproduce. It's unfair that we're unable to share the same things as everyone else, but there's no way of getting round it."

"That's not entirely true," Kai said. "There are other ways, like adoption or surrogate mothers."

It took almost a full minute for what Takao had just heard to sink in, and even then he had make sure that he hadn't misinterpreted in. "You're saying that you want kids?" he asked.  
"You deserve them," answered Kai. "You should be entitled to them."

But Takao just smiled and repeated his question. "Kai, I'm asking if *you* want children. All you have to say is yes or no."

"Maybe," Kai said vaguely. "Not right now, but someday I might. I read up on the legal system at work and there are laws that let gay couples adopt now, so there's still that option left open if we ever consider it." He turned defensive when Takao laughed softly, and his frown deepened. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Takao assured him. "It's not the situation I find amusing, just the fact that you always seem to do your homework."

"Of course," said Kai, insulted. "I never go rushing into something without giving the situation any thought. That's your area of expertise."

"You wound me," Takao declared, pretending to look mortally offended. "Still, I guess you're kind of right. Maybe I don't always think things through properly, but that's okay, because you're there to watch my back and be cautious for me. We balance each other out. That's really good."

"If you say so," muttered Kai, but Takao didn't miss the fact that he was smiling. The sun had set completely now and the moon had risen up to take its place. The air around them was getting chillier and Takao could see little goose bumps prickling over Kai's bare arms. Untangling his fingers from Kai's, he shifted slightly so that he could rub both his hands over Kai's forearms, trying to send a spark of warmth into his chilly skin.

"The others are probably wondering where we are," Takao said softly. "Do you feel like leaving now?"

Kai shook his head. "Not yet."

Takao continued to rub at Kai's arms, tipping his chin up slightly so that he could gaze at the sea of silver stars dotted in the inky purple blackness above. He even tried counting a few of them but soon gave up when Kai brought the movement of his hands to a stop. "Hey," he said suddenly, "what kind of parents do you think we'd make?"

"We wouldn't be having this conversation if we knew," said Kai, displaying his ever-present practicality.

"Just guess," Takao encouraged. "Fine," sighed Kai. "I think you'd be more patient than I would."

"Really?" said Takao, sounding surprised. "How come?"

"You've been able to put up with me for more than five years now," Kai said dryly. "Taking care of children would be easy in comparison."

Takao mulled that one over for a while and then snickered playfully. "You know what I think, though? I think you'd be a pushover daddy who lets the kids do whatever they want so long as it's not dangerous. You act all tough on the outside, but you're just a big old softie underneath."

"Say that again and die," Kai threatened, but Takao was laughing already.

"I can see it now," he said gleefully, closing his eyes as if conjuring up a mental picture, "you pushing a baby stroller through the park. Your bad-ass image would be ruined forever."

"I've never cared about what people think of me before and I'm not going to start doing it now," huffed Kai. "I'll do whatever the hell I want."

"That's my Kai," Takao said proudly. "Anyway, you have a point. It's not like we're in any huge rush to start a family. We could do something else first, like practise with a pet. You've always liked cats, haven't you? We can buy one if you want."

"I'd rather take in one from a shelter," said Kai. "There are lots of unwanted animals in need of a good home."

"You really are a softie," Takao teased. "You're probably still feeding all the neighbourhood strays behind my back."

"Just the one," Kai corrected. "A cat that I found a couple of years ago during the BEGA fiasco. I've been taking care of her all this time, but it's mostly out of guilt. I nearly killed her with my beyblade while I was trying to master the Heavy Metal System," he explained, catching Takao's puzzled expression. "A cat helped you with your training?" grinned Takao.

"Actually, it was the coach from the F-Sangre team," said Kai. "He was nothing more than a flamboyant idiot, but at least his advice enabled me to defeat Brooklyn, and realise what was most important to me."  
"I'll bet you never even bothered to show him any gratitude, either," Takao guessed rightly. "No, I just turned my back and walked out."

"Note to self," Takao said dryly, "remember to send Romero a really expensive thank you gift."

Kai didn't seem to think much of that idea, judging by the derisive sound that he made, but he allowed Takao to pull him to his feet seconds later, brushing the faint grass stains off his pants. Takao slid his arms loosely around Kai's waist and Kai took a step forward, bringing them even nearer. Slowly, carefully, he bent down so that his forehead was resting against Takao's, and they just stayed like that for a while, their eyes closed and their breathing in perfect synchrony. Then Kai moved back a little, raising his hands to Takao's face, framing it as though he'd never held anything more precious in his life.

"I meant what I said earlier," Takao told Kai quietly. "I really don't need anything other than this."

There was still more that Kai would willingly let him have, if he was capable of providing it, and even if he wasn't, there would be nothing on earth that would stop him or get in his path, not if it was for Takao, Takao who would have been content with nothing more than simple affection and companionship. Kai didn't want to let him settle for just the minimum, though. He wanted Takao to have it all, even if it meant making a sacrifice of his own in the process. Kai had meant what he'd said earlier, too. There was still so much more that Takao was deserving of, and no matter how many obstacles they encountered later on, Kai was determined to find a way past them, because it was for Takao and Kai would do anything in his power for Takao's sake. Takao knew, and he understood, and he felt the same, and nothing could be stronger than what they shared. "We should go," Kai said, at last.

"Yeah," Takao agreed.

And he leaned up on his tip toes before they could part completely, tilting his face and meeting Kai half-way, the shadows of the night dancing patterns around them as their smiles drew closer and kissed.

End


End file.
